Following is the opening remarks by the Chief Executive-elect, Mr John Lee, at the press conference on the appointment of Principal Officials of the sixth-term of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government at the Auditorium, Central Government Offices, Tamar, today (June 19):
 
Fellow citizens,
 
     The Central People's Government, CPG, announced this morning the appointment of the Principal Officials of the sixth-term Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the CPG for accepting and approving the nominations made by me in accordance with the Basic Law. I will also like to thank the CPG for the trust in and support for me and my governing team.
 
     These 26 appointed Principal Officials, comprising 21 politically accountable and five non-politically accountable officials, will form my governing team. 
 
     Amongst the 21 politically accountable officials:
 

• seven are officials from the current-term Government, including six Secretaries of Departments or Directors of Bureaux, and the Director of the CE (Chief Executive)'s Office;
• two are currently Under Secretaries;
• six are serving civil servants or just-retired ones, including Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments, coming from the Administrative Officer Grade or professional grades;
• six are newly joining the Government, accounting for about 30 per cent of my team. They include Senior Counsel Paul Lam Ting-kwok, solicitor Cheung Kwok-kwan, Mr Algernon Yau Ying-wah, Professor Lo Chung-mau, Professor Sun Dong and Ms Alice Mak. They respectively have a wealth of professional knowledge and a vast network in their respective fields. They are action people well recognised by their peers.

     The five non-politically accountable Principal Officials are:
 

• the Commissioner of the ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption), Mr Woo Ying-ming, former Commissioner of Correctional Services who just retired;
• the Director of Audit, Professor Nelson Lam Chi-yuen, a chartered accountant and also a Member of the Legislative Council (LegCo), joining the Government for the first time; and
• the current heads of three disciplined services, namely, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Siu Chak-yee; the Director of Immigration, Mr Au Ka-wang; and the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho Pui-shan, who are civil servants.  

 
     Among the 26 Principal Officials, six are female, which is about a quarter of the team, the ratio being the highest in government ever. We have a total of seven newcomers from outside the Government, four of whom are Members of the Legislative Council. They will resign from their LegCo duties.
 
     My team covers a diverse range of backgrounds, including current government officials with experience in political accountability, civil servants with extensive public administrative experience, professionals from outside the Government, and persons with relevant sectoral and district networks. This team is united and loyal, and we share the same ideal of governance. We will be result-oriented with emphases on team spirit and execution. 
 
     My team and I will reach out, listen to and communicate with the public with sincerity. We will be proactive in winning the trust of the people and make policies that meet with demands. We are committed to serving the aspirations and concerns of the people, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of the administration. Together, we will build a better Hong Kong. 
 
     Last but not the least, I wish to express my gratitude to the incumbent Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, for the work done during the transition into the new-term Government. I also wish to thank all the incumbents in the current-term Government. They have served the people of Hong Kong with utmost sincerity and stamina. I have worked with them for almost five years, and we went through different difficulties and challenges, through which we have developed mutual support and respect. While it may not be possible to continue to walk the path ahead with each one of them, apart from expressing my gratitude, I also hope that they will continue to serve Hong Kong in different capacities, including on advisory committees and boards or in public organisations. We remain partners and you, my mentors.
 
     The next five years will be a crucial time for Hong Kong to advance from stability to prosperity. My team and I will rise to the challenges, leading Hong Kong and making good use of the unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" to start a new chapter for Hong Kong, together. Thank you.

Ends/Sunday, June 19, 2022
Issued at HKT 18:20

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