Incoming Hong Kong leader John Lee ‘finalising team, selects top 3 ministers’ ahead of line-up reveal
- Eric Chan, director of Chief Executive’s Office, expected to be nominated as chief secretary, according to sources
- Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng likely to stay on in next administration, they say
Hong Kong’s incoming leader John Lee Ka-chiu is finalising his governing team after selecting his top three ministers, and is expected to unveil his line-up in the second half of the month, the Post has learned.
Multiple sources said Eric Chan Kwok-ki, director of the Chief Executive’s Office, was likely to be nominated as chief secretary, while Paul Chan Mo-po would continue to serve as finance chief.
Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah is also highly likely to serve in the next administration, according to the sources. An insider familiar with the formation of Lee’s team said Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung was likely to remain as security tsar, instead of taking up the post of deputy chief secretary as speculated by some media.
Eric Chan, 63, was picked as the city’s No 2 official after intense behind-the-scenes jockeying for the top post.
A veteran pro-Beijing politician who is well connected with the central government told the Post that Chan initially turned down Lee’s invitation to become chief secretary.
“Eric Chan told Lee he was determined to retire from government,” the politician said. “But many Beijing officials favour Eric Chan as the next chief secretary and he accepted the offer after some senior people had spoken to him.”
The source familiar with the formation of Lee’s team also confirmed that Eric Chan had intended to retire but he had changed his mind after being persuaded by some “influential people”.
The source said some senior officials from Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong had recommended Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai for the chief secretary role.
