HK Chief Executive replaces 2 ministers with 'proactive leaders'

HONG KONG - Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has fired his tourism and transport ministers in an unexpected move, replacing them with veteran officials he called proactive leaders with a "reform mindset".

- Magdalene Fung

Tourism Minister Kevin Yeung, 61, and Transport Minister Lam Sai Hung, 63, have been replaced by housing director Rosanna Law, 56, and the transport bureau's permanent secretary, Ms Mable Chan, 58, respectively.

At a special media conference on Dec 5, Mr Lee thanked the outgoing ministers for their contributions and expressed confidence in their successors, adding that Ms Law and Ms Chan have more than 30 years of "excellent performance, administrative and management experience in the government service".

"I appreciate their leadership skills, strong abilities to explain (their policies) and proactiveness. They have a reform mindset and support our governance philosophy," the Chief Executive added.

The move was recommended by Mr Lee and approved by China's State Council, according to an official statement released by the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Mr Lee repeatedly sidestepped reporters' questions on why the two ministers were fired, saying instead that he had concluded, after a period of observation, that their replacements would provide effective leadership to produce the best results for Hong Kong.

"It is very important for a leader to be forthcoming, able to anticipate problems, find solutions and also to build up the team," he said.

"I want a team that can deliver what I have in mind... achieve the best results in the shortest period of time, due to all the time we lost during the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2019 mass protests... and one that can ensure the public understands and appreciates our policies."

Mr Lee also evaded questions on whether other ministers deemed to be underperforming could also face the axe, including Environment Minister Tse Chin Wan, whose waste-tax policy recently courted controversy and was eventually scrapped.

Both the tourism and transport ministries were set up only in 2022 in a government reorganisation when Mr Lee took office.