Chief Secretary for Administration

Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
香港特別行政區政務司司長
Incumbent
Eric Chan
since 1 July 2022
Government Secretariat of Hong Kong
Government of Hong Kong
Style
Member of
Reports toLegislative Council
ResidenceVictoria House, 15 Barker Road, Victoria Peak
NominatorChief Executive
AppointerState Council of the People's Republic of China
Term lengthNo longer than the Chief Executive's remaining term
Constituting instrumentHong Kong Basic Law
Inaugural holderAnson Chan
Formation1 July 1997 (1997-07-01)
SalaryHK$4,500,000 annually[1]
Websitecso.gov.hk
Chief Secretary for Administration
Traditional Chinese政務
Simplified Chinese政务
Cantonese YaleJingmouhsī Sījéung

The Chief Secretary for Administration, commonly known as the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong, is the most senior principal official of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Chief Secretary is head of the Government Secretariat which oversees the administration of the Region to which all other ministers belong, and is accountable for his or her policies and actions to the Chief Executive and to the Legislative Council. Under Article 53 of the Basic Law, the position is known as "Administrative Secretary". As the second highest ranking public official in Hong Kong, the Chief Secretary acts as Acting Chief Executive when the Chief Executive is absent.

The Chief Secretary formulates and implements government policy, gives advice to the Chief Executive as a member of the Executive Council, and is responsible for managing the Government's relationship with the Legislative Council and drawing up the Government's legislative programme. The office (“Department of Administration” per Article 60 of the Basic Law) also exercises certain statutory functions, such as the handling of appeals from designated public bodies.[2]

Prior to the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, the office was known simply as "Chief Secretary" (Chinese: 布政司; Cantonese Yale: Boujingsī), and before 27 August 1976, "Colonial Secretary"(Chinese: 輔政司; Cantonese Yale: Fuhjingsī).[3][4][5] Until the introduction of the Principal Officials Accountability System in 2002, the Chief Secretary was a civil service position, and in this capacity, the head of the public service. In 2005, Henry Tang became the first person who has not been a civil servant to be appointed to the office of the Chief Secretary.[citation needed]

From the 1870s to 1902 the Colonial Secretary was the de facto Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong which was once held by the Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong before 1870s when the post was not lapsed from power. After 1902 the title disappeared from use as the second highest post was transferred to the Colonial Secretary and later, Chief Secretary.[citation needed]

  1. ^ "Remuneration package for Politically Appointed Officials serving in fifth-term HKSAR Government". Hong Kong Government.
  2. ^ Chief Secretary's Office, Hong Kong Government
  3. ^ "Civil Service Bureau - Search Glossary of Terms Commonly Used in Government Departments". www.csb.gov.hk. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Colonial Secretary (Change of Title) Notice 1976 L.N. 226 of 1976". Regulation of Hong Kong 1976: B1109. 25 August 1976.
  5. ^ Roberts, Denys (18 April 2006). Another Disaster: Hong Kong Sketches. The Radcliffe Press. ISBN 9781845111120.

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