Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07HONGKONG1698
2007-06-25 23:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Hong Kong
Cable title:  

HONG KONG'S NEXT CABINET APPROVED

Tags:  PHUM PGOV PREL PINR CH HK 
pdf how-to read a cable
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OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHHK #1698/01 1762331
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O 252331Z JUN 07
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2087
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 07 HONG KONG 001698 

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DEPARTMENT FOR EAP AND EAP/CM
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2032
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL PINR CH HK
SUBJECT: HONG KONG'S NEXT CABINET APPROVED

Classified By: Acting Deputy Principal Officer Laurent Charbonnet. Rea
sons 1.4(b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 07 HONG KONG 001698

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DEPARTMENT FOR EAP AND EAP/CM
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2032
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL PINR CH HK
SUBJECT: HONG KONG'S NEXT CABINET APPROVED

Classified By: Acting Deputy Principal Officer Laurent Charbonnet. Rea
sons 1.4(b,d).


1. (SBU) Summary: The Central Government, on the nomination
of Hong Kong's Chief Executive (CE),Donald Tsang, approved
the appointments of principal officials for the third term of
the HKSAR Government, as well as five officials who will head
HK's disciplined services. Biographies for each new official
are provided in para 6 below. CE Tsang remarked at the press
conference to announce the appointments that, "the
appointments include incumbents and several new faces,
ensuring stability and continuity, as well as adding some new
blood to our governing team." The CE labeled his new cabinet
"people-based," and said he urged all principal officials to
"reach out to the community, to talk with the general public,
to feel the public pulse and to embrace public sentiment...so
that our policies may truly meet the needs of our people."
To the outgoing officials, including Chief Secretary for
Administration Raphael Hui and five Directors of Bureaus,
Tsang extended his thanks and gratitude, proclaiming that

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Hong Kong has "overcome one challenge after another." (Note:
The term "Director of Bureau" is used synonymously with
"Secretary" in the HK Government. End note.)


2. (U) The five departing Secretaries include: former
Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho, Secretary for Economic

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Development and Labor Stephen Ip, Secretary for the
Environment, Transport and Works Sarah Liao, Secretary for
Education and Manpower Arthur Li, and Secretary for Commerce,
Industry and Technology Joseph Wong. Donald Tsang's new
cabinet structure increases the number of policy bureaus from
11 to 12. End summary.


3. (C) Comment: The new cabinet, while showing CE Tsang's
free hand in choosing his team members, reflects his strong
preference towards veteran civil servants and his
increasingly pragmatic approach to relations with Beijing.
Relatedly, Tsang Tak-sing's appointment has raised a few

eyebrows. On one hand, his appointment is seen as a sort of
litmus test for local reaction over, and the vindication of,
pro-Beijing political prisoners under the British rule. A
local National People's Congress Deputy since 1988 and a
full-time advisor to the Central Policy Unit, Tsang served
two years in jail after being arrested during the 1967 riot
for distributing pamphlets denouncing colonial education in
local schools. Furthermore, Tak-sing,s appointment is seen
as the CE,s first conciliatory gesture of power sharing with
Beijing. End comment.


4. (SBU) CE Tsang was roundly, but expectedly, critized by
many in the press for nominating too many civil servants, and
not enough party representation, thus stunting the growth of
political talent across the HKSAR. According to the "South
China Morning Post," Timothy Wong Ka-ying, deputy director of
Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at Chinese
University, said the dominance of civil servants reflected
Beijing's preference for a more stable ruling model for Hong
Kong. He also said the cabinet's composition had taken into
account the immaturity of party politics in the city.
Liberal Party chairman James Tien Pei-chun called the lack of
outside appointees "a backward step" for the ministerial, or
"accountability", system. Allen Lee Peng-fei, a National
People's Congress delegate and former executive councillor,
said the central government had to examine the impact on the
neutrality of the civil service of the growing trend of civil
servants becoming political appointees. Lee also said the
government would find it hard to nurture political talent if
the cabinet was filled with former civil servants. Emily Lau
Wai-hing, of The Frontier, was also disappointed by the
dominance of ex-civil servants. She said it showed there was
no initiative on the part of the government to pursue party
politics.


5. (U) Fifteen principal officials appointed under the
accountability system are on non-civil service terms. They
are:

Secretaries of Departments

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--------------
Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr. Henry Tang Ying-yen
Financial Secretary, Mr. John Tsang Chun-wah
Secretary for Justice, Mr. Wong Yan Lung, SC

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Directors of Bureaux
--------------
Secretary for Education, Mr. Michael Suen Ming-yeung

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Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr.

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Frederick Ma Si-hang
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr.

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HONG KONG 00001698 002 OF 007


Stephen Lam Sui-lung
Secretary for Security, Mr. Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong

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Secretary for Food and Health, Dr. York Chow

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Secretary for the Civil Service, Ms. Denise Yue Chung-yee

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Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr. Tsang Tak-sing

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Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung

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Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Professor

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K. C. Chan
Secretary for Development, Mrs. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor

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Secretary for the Environment, Mr. Edward Yau Tang-wah

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Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms. Eva Cheng

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Additionally, five principal officials were appointed heads
of the disciplined services:

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tang King-shing
Commissioner, Independent Commission Against Corruption, Mr.
Timothy Tong Hin-ming
Director of Audit, Mr. Benjamin Tang
Director of Immigration, Mr. Lai Tung-kwok
Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr. Richard Yuen Ming-fai.

Meanwhile, the Government announced the appointments of Mr.
Norman Chan as the Director of the Chief Executive's Office
and Professor Lau Siu-kai as the Head of the Central Policy
Unit.


6. (U) Following are the biographical notes on the appointed
officials:

Mr. Henry Tang Ying-yen
--------------

Mr. Tang, age 54, was appointed the Financial Secretary in
August 2003. Prior to this appointment, he was the Secretary
for Commerce, Industry and Technology. Mr. Tang has been a
member of the Executive Council since 1997. He served as a
member of the Legislative Council for seven years from 1991
to 1998. Mr. Tang also served extensively on various
government boards and public bodies, including the Trade
Development Council, Town Planning Board, University Grants
Committee, and Council of the City University of Hong Kong.
Before joining the Government in 2002, Mr. Tang was a leading
industrialist in Hong Kong. He served as the Chairman of the
Federation of Hong Kong Industries between 1995 and 2001. He
was also a Committee Member of the Hong Kong General Chamber
of Commerce.

Mr. John Tsang Chun-wah
--------------

Mr. Tsang, age 56, studied architecture at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. He received a master degree in
bilingual education from Boston State College and a master
degree in public administration from Harvard University's
Kennedy School of Government. Mr. Tsang joined the civil
service in 1982. His senior postings include Private
Secretary to the Governor from 1995 to 1997; Director-General

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of the London Economic and Trade Office from 1997 to 1999;
Commissioner of Customs and Excise from 1999 to 2001;
Secretary for Planning and Lands from 2001 to 2002; Permanent

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Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Planning and

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Lands) from 2002 to 2003; and Secretary for Commerce,
Industry and Technology from August 2003 to January 2006. He
was appointed the Director of the Chief Executive's Office in
January 2006.

Mr. Wong Yan Lung
--------------

Prior to his appointment as Secretary for Justice in October
2005, Mr. Wong, age 43, was a lawyer in private practice. He
sat as Deputy High Court Judge of the Court of First Instance
in July and August in 2003, and was a Council member of the
Council of the Hong Kong Bar Association from 1989 to 1990,
from 1997 to 2002 and from 2003 to 2005 and Chairman of the
Special Committee on Legal Education of the Hong Kong Bar
Association from 2003 to 2005.

Mr. Wong has served as Chairman of the Buildings Appeal
Tribunal, of the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries
Compensation Boards, and of the Non-local Higher and
Professional Education Appeal Board. He has also served as
Vice-Chairman of CEDAR Fund and Member of the Steering
Committee and Volunteer of the Hong Kong Christian Concern
for the Homeless. Mr. Wong graduated from the Cambridge
University and was conferred Bachelor of Arts (Law) and
Master of Arts (Law) Degrees. In 1987, he was called to the
Bar in England & Wales and in the same year he was also

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called to the Bar in Hong Kong. He was appointed as Senior
Counsel in Hong Kong in 2002.

Mr. Michael Suen Ming-yeung
--------------

Mr. Suen, age 63, joined the Government in 1966 as an
Administrative Officer and was promoted to the rank of
Director of Bureau in January 1991. During the early years
of his career, he served in the former New Territories
Administration, Resettlement Department and Environment
Branch. Mr. Suen was Deputy Secretary for Transport in
September 1981; Director, City Services in the Urban Services
Department in November 1983 and Deputy Director, Regional
Services Department in April 1985. Mr. Suen became Director
of Regional Services in June 1986 and Regional Secretary (New
Territories) of the City and New Territories Administration
in December 1987.

Mr. Suen was appointed Secretary for Constitutional Affairs
in March 1989 and Secretary for Home Affairs in November

1991. Between March and early July in 1997, he was on
temporary secondment to the Chief Executive's Office as the
Secretary for Policy Co-ordination. He resumed his post as

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Secretary for Home Affairs on July 8, 1997 and took up the

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appointment as Secretary for Constitutional Affairs on August
4, 1997. Mr Suen has been Secretary for Housing, Planning
and Lands since July 2002.

Mr. Frederick Ma Si-hang
--------------

Before assuming the post of Secretary for Financial Services
and the Treasury in July 2002, Mr. Ma, aged 55, was Group
Chief Financial Officer of PCCW Ltd. He was also an
executive director of the Group. Mr. Ma has more than 20
years' experience in the global financial services industry.
He has worked in New York, Toronto and London for nearly 10
years. Before joining the Government, Mr. Ma held a number
of public service positions, including serving on the Hong
Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and the Hong Kong
Securities and Futures Commission.

Mr. Stephen Lam Sui-lung
--------------

Mr. Lam, age 51, joined the Administrative Service in October
1978 and rose to the rank of Director of Bureau in August

2001. Senior positions held by Mr. Lam over the years
include: Administrative Assistant to the Chief Secretary from
1989 to 1991; Director, Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in
Toronto from 1991 to 1994; Deputy Secretary for
Constitutional Affairs from 1994 to 1996; Director, Handover
Ceremony Co-ordination Office from 1996 to 1997, Director of
Administration and Development in Department of Justice from
1997 to 1999, and Information Co-ordinator from 1999 to 2002.
He has been Secretary for Constitutional Affairs since July

2002.

Mr Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong
--------------

Mr. Lee, age 58, joined the Government as an Immigration
Officer in 1974. He became Assistant Director of Immigration
in 1995, and was promoted to Deputy Director of Immigration
in 1997. Mr Lee was Director of Immigration between 1998 and

2002. He was appointed the Commissioner of the Independent
Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of the HKSAR in July
2002, and has been Secretary for Security since August 2003.

Mr. Lee graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the
University of Hong Kong. He also received professional
training from Tsinghua University on the Mainland, Oxford
University in the United Kingdom, as well as Harvard
University. Mr. Lee was awarded the Hong Kong Immigration
Service Medal for Distinguished Service in 1998 in
recognition of his exemplary contribution.

Dr. York Chow
--------------

Dr. Chow, age 59, is an orthopaedic surgeon by profession.
He was appointed Hospital Chief Executive of Queen Elizabeth
Hospital in 1992 and Hospital Chief Executive of Queen Mary
Hospital in 2001. He was subsequently appointed Cluster
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong West Cluster of the Hong
Kong Hospital Authority in 2002. He took up the post of
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food in October 2004.

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HONG KONG 00001698 004 OF 007


Professionally, he served as President of the Hong Kong
Orthopaedic Association, Vice-President of the College of
Orthopaedic Surgeons, and was elected Council Member of the
Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. He is currently an Honorary
Professor in Rehabilitation Science at the Hong Kong
Polytechnic University, and an Honorary Professor of the
Medical Faculty of the University of Hong Kong. Dr. Chow
participates actively in voluntary and community work. He
served as Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Sports Development
Board and the Sports Institute, and as a member of the
Rehabilitation Task Force. He was elected Vice-President of
the International Paralympic Committee in 1997-2005 and was
Chairman of the Hong Kong Sports Association for the
Physically Disabled between 1986 and 2004.

Ms. Denise Yue Chung-yee
--------------

Ms. Yue, age 54, graduated from the University of Hong Kong
in 1974 and Harvard University in 1988. She joined the civil
service in 1974 and has served in a number of senior
positions, including Deputy Director of Regional Services
from 1991 to 1992; Deputy Secretary for Trade and Industry
from 1992 to 1993; Director-General of Industry from 1993 to
1995; Secretary for Trade and Industry from 1995 to 1998;
Secretary for the Treasury from 1998 to 2002; and Permanent

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Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology (Commerce and

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Industry) from 2002 to 2006. She was appointed Secretary for
the Civil Service in January 2006.

Mr. Tsang Tak-sing
--------------

Mr. Tsang, age 58, has served as a Member of the Central
Policy Unit since 1998. Before joining the Government, Mr.
Tsang was a journalist for nearly 30 years. Mr. Tsang is a

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Hong Kong Deputy to the National People's Congress. He holds
two Master's degrees from the University of Hong Kong: Master
of International and Public Affairs; and Master of Arts in
Comparative Literature. Mr. Tsang was a Nieman Fellow at
Harvard University from 1994 to 1995.

Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung
--------------

Mr. Cheung, age 56, joined the Information Officer Grade of
the Government in July 1972. He transferred to the
Administrative Service in September 1979, and was promoted to
his present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in
September 2004.

Mr. Cheung has served in various bureaux and departments
including the former Finance Branch, Home Affairs Department,
the former City and New Territories Administration, the
former Government House, the former Industry Department, the
former Trade Department, the former Financial Secretary's
Office, Judiciary and Central Policy Unit. He was Deputy
Secretary for Education and Manpower from March 1996 to

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January 1999, Commissioner for Labour from January 1999 to
June 2000, and Director of Education from June 2000 to June

2002. He was Permanent Secretary for Economic Development
and Labour (Labour),later retitled as Permanent Secretary
for Economic Development and Labour (Labour)/Commissioner for
Labour from July 2002 to March 2007.

Professor K. C. Chan
--------------

Prof. Chan, age 50, joined the Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology in 1993 and was appointed Dean of
Business and Management in July 2002. Professor Chan
received his bachelor's degree in economics from Wesleyan
University and both his M.B.A. and Ph.D. in finance from the
University of Chicago. His research interests include
pricing of risky assets, the performance of equity trading
strategies, market microstructure, and regulatory issues
dealing with the efficiency of financial markets.

Professor Chan held a number of public service positions
including: Chairman of the Consumer Council, member of the
Commission on Strategic Development, Commission on Poverty,
the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee, the Hang Seng Index
Advisory Committee, and the Hong Kong Council for Academic
Accreditation. He is a former President of the Asian Finance
Association and currently serves as President of the
Association of Asia Pacific Business Schools.

Mrs. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor
--------------

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Mrs. Lam, age 50, joined the Administrative Service in August
1980, and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff
Grade A1 in September 2006.

Mrs. Lam has served in various bureaux and departments
including the former Housing Branch, the former Office of
Unofficial Members of Executive and Legislative Councils, the
former Medical and Health Department, the former City and New
Territories Administration, the former Security Branch, the
former Survey Office, the former Securities Review Committee,
the former Monetary Affairs Branch, the former Lands and
Works Branch, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the
Department of Health and the former Finance Branch
(subsequently renamed Finance Bureau). She was Director of
Social Welfare from August 2000 to October 2003, Permanent
Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Planning and

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Lands) from November 2003 to May 2004, Director-General, Hong
Kong Economic and Trade Office in London from September 2004
to March 2006. She has been Permanent Secretary for Home
Affairs since March 2006.

Mr. Edward Yau Tang-wah
--------------

Mr. Yau, age 47, joined the Administrative Service in August
1981, and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff
Grade B1 in April 2005. Mr. Yau has served in various
bureaux and departments, including the former Security
Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration,
the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former Transport
Branch, Correctional Services Department and the former
Finance Branch. He was Deputy Director-General of Trade
(later renamed Deputy Director-General of Trade and Industry)
from January 1999 to May 2001, Director-General of the Hong
Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington from May 2001 to
April 2004, and Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower
from April 2004 to April 2006. He has been Director of
Information Services since April 2006.

Ms. Eva Cheng
--------------

Ms. Cheng, age 47, joined the Administrative Service in
August 1983 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer
Staff Grade A1 in April 2007. Ms. Cheng has served in
various bureaux and departments, including the former
Economic Services Branch, the Correctional Services
Department, the former Secretariat of the Standing Commission
on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service, the
former Education and Manpower Branch, the former Transport
Branch and the former Financial Secretary's Office. She was
Deputy Head of the Central Policy Unit from April 1996 to
April 1997 and from August 1997 to December 1998, Deputy
Director of Administration from April to August 1997, Deputy
Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting (later

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renamed Deputy Secretary for Commerce, Industry and
Technology) from December 1998 to March 2003, and
Commissioner for Tourism from March 2003 to March 2006. She
has been Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and
Labour (Ec o nomic Development) since April 2006.

Mr. Tang King-shing
--------------

Mr. Tang, age 53, joined the Hong Kong Police Force in July
1976 as a Probationary Inspector. He was promoted to Chief
Superintendent in 1996, Assistant Commissioner in 1999,
Senior Assistant Commissioner in 2002 and Deputy Commissioner
in December 2003. He was appointed as Commissioner of Police
in January 2007. In recognition of his police service, Mr.
Tang has been awarded the Hong Kong Police Medals for
Distinguished and Meritorious Service, the Colonial and HKSAR
Police Long Service Medals and the Chief Executive's
Commendation. He holds a Master's degree in International
and Public Affairs.

Mr. Timothy Tong Hin-ming
--------------

Mr. Tong, age 57, joined the Government in November 1972,
serving initially as an Executive Officer and later as an
Assistant Trade Officer. He joined the Administrative
Service in April 1992 at the rank of Administrative Officer
Staff Grade C and rose to his present rank of Administrative
Officer Staff Grade A in April 2005. Mr. Tong has served in
various bureaux and departments including the former Trade
Department, the former Security Branch, the former Urban
Services Department, the former Education and Manpower

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Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration,
Home Affairs Department and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade
Office in Geneva. He was Deputy Secretary for Security from
January 1999 to September 2003. He has been Commissioner of
Customs and Excise since September 2003.

Mr. Benjamin Tang
--------------

After graduating from the University of Hong Kong in
Economics and Sociology and a brief stint working in the
private sector, Mr. Tang, age 55, joined the Hong Kong civil
service as an Administrative Officer in October 1974. He
also studied at the Oxford University, the London Business
School and the Toronto International Leadership Centre for
Financial Sector Supervision. He served in various bureaux
and departments and worked in policy areas that covered
district administration, sports and culture, transport,
municipal services and the environment. His career also
included working in the Hong Kong Government Office in London
in the mid 80s and the Independent Commission Against
Corruption in the early 90s. He was the Government Printer
from March 1998 to January 2000 and the Commissioner of
Insurance from January 2000 to November 2003. Mr. Tang left
the Administrative Service and took up the post of Director
of Audit in December 2003.

Mr. Lai Tung-kwok
--------------

Mr. Lai, age 55, joined the Government as an Assistant
Immigration Officer in December 1973. He was promoted to
Immigration Officer in September 1980, to Senior Immigration
Officer in September 1986, to Chief Immigration Officer in
February 1990, to Assistant Principal Immigration Officer in
May 1992, to Principal Immigration Officer in October 1995,
to Senior Principal Immigration Officer in April 1997 and to
Assistant Director of Immigration in February 1999. He was
promoted to Deputy Director of Immigration in January 2001.
Mr. Lai was appointed Director of Immigration in July 2002.

Mr. Richard Yuen Ming-fai
--------------

Mr. Yuen, age 51, joined the Administrative Service in August
1980 and is currently Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1.
Mr. Yuen has served in various bureaux and departments
including the former Security Branch, the former Home Affairs
Department, the former Urban Services Department, the former
Home Affairs Branch, the former City and New Territories
Administration, the former Councils and Administration
Branch, the former Finance Branch, the former Chief
Secretary's Office, and the former Economic Services Branch.

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He was Deputy Secretary for Economic Services from October
1996 to August 1999; Private Secretary to the Chief Executive
from August 1999 to October 2002; Deputy Di rector in the
Chief Executive's Office from March 2003 to October 2003; and
Commissioner of Insurance from December 2003 to July 2006.
He has been the Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food
since January 2007.

Mr. Norman Chan
--------------

Mr. Chan, age 53, was appointed Vice Chairman, Asia of
Standard Chartered Bank in December 2005. Prior to joining
the Bank, Mr. Chan was Deputy Chief Executive of Hong Kong
Monetary Authority (HKMA). Having served as an
Administrative Officer in the Hong Kong Government since
1976, he was appointed Deputy Director (Monetary Management)
of the Office of the Exchange Fund in 1991. He became an
Executive Director of the HKMA in 1993 and was appointed
Deputy Chief Executive in 1996. Mr. Chan's responsibilities
as Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA included reserves
management and international affairs. Mr. Chan was Chairman
of Bauhinia Foundation Research Centre and a member of the
Committee on Governance and Political Development of the
Commission on Strategic Development.

Professor Lau Siu-kai
--------------

Professor Lau, age 60, was appointed Head of the Central
Policy Unit in July 2002. Before joining the Government,
Professor Lau was Professor and Chairman of the Department of
Sociology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was also
Associate Director of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific
Studies at the university. He was actively involved in
research work, covering social and political development as

HONG KONG 00001698 007 OF 007


well as political systems.
Cunningham