HK Government Announces Appointment of Two Major OfficialsChief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Tung Chee Hwa on Thursday announced the appointment of the new Hong Kong civil service chief and financial secretary.The central government has, on the nomination and recommendation of Tung, appointed Donald Tsang Yam-kuen as Administrative Secretary and Antony Leung Kam-chung as Financial Secretary, Tung announced at a news conference. Tsang, a 34-year veteran of the civil service, will succeed outgoing Administrative Secretary Anson Chan, who would retire in April this year. Antony Leung Kam-chung, the 49-year-old Asia-Pacific chairman at investment bank J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., will fill the vacancy left by Tsang. Expressing full confidence in the two officers, Tung praised Tsang for his "distinguished career" as a civil servant. "He has served Hong Kong with dedication, commitment and distinction in many different capacities," he said. Since Hong Kong's return to China, Tsang has led his team of colleagues to overcome the Asian financial crisis," Tung said, noting Hong Kong's economic recovery owes much to the determination and wisdom of Tsang and his team. "I am absolutely confident that Donald will bring with him the same commitment, professionalism and leadership in fulfilling the role of Administrative Secretary," Tung said. Tung also expressed delight to have Antony Leung to serve as Financial Secretary "at the critical moment when Hong Kong is facing the twin challenges of globalization and developing the new economy." "Antony will bring with him to the financial portfolio the wealth of experience which he has acquired in international banking over a quarter of a century," Tung said. Tsang, aged 56, first joined the civil service in 1967 and was appointed an administrative officer in 1971. During the early years of his career, he held a variety of posts in the administration dealing with finance, trade and policies relating to the future of Hong Kong. Tsang became the first Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government on July 1, 1997. |
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