Hong Kong Chief Executive-elect John Lee gets down to work right away, with a temporary office, staff
- More than two dozen staff will support Lee as he starts selecting ministers, prepares policy plan
- Not known yet if President Xi will physically attend swearing-in; Lee, wife to move into Government House
1. What is the Chief Executive-elect’s Office?
As the chief executive-elect, Lee will have an office and staff as he gets down to work preparing to take over in under two months. Situated in Wan Chai, the office started operating on Sunday and will support him as he selects his governing team and prepares a policy plan based on his election manifesto.
04:05
Hong Kong’s Election Committee picks John Lee as city’s next chief executive in one-man race
It will be headed by former director of administration Daniel Cheng Chung-wai, who will be its secretary general. It will have five posts at directorate level and more than 20 at non-directorate levels. The office will close by June 30.
The office will be responsible for ensuring a smooth transition of government, especially as there are a number of major events coming up, including celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule. The office will also liaise with different sectors of the community and take part in various official activities.
2. What are Lee’s immediate tasks?
Lee on Sunday said his priority is to form his governing team, adding that he will be looking for talent to take up the top jobs in the new administration.
“I will recruit experienced, capable and passionate people to join my governing team,” he said in his victory speech.
Sources say Lee is expected to look beyond serving officials and top civil servants, preferring to identify people with expertise to help him deliver on his promise of a ‘result-oriented’ administration.
Lee is also expected to travel to Beijing soon to receive his formal letter of appointment. In 2017, newly elected Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor made the trip with her husband two weeks after winning the race to be chief executive. She spent four days in the capital, meeting President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and other top officials. It remains unclear whether the latest pandemic control measures in Beijing will affect Lee’s forthcoming trip to the capital.
