John Lee (government official)

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The Honourable
John Lee
SBS PDSM PMSM JP
李家超
Lee Ka-chiu 20210826.png
John Lee in August 2021
8th Chief Secretary for Administration
Assumed office
25 June 2021
Chief ExecutiveCarrie Lam
Preceded byMatthew Cheung
5th Secretary for Security
In office
1 July 2017 – 25 June 2021
Chief ExecutiveCarrie Lam
Preceded byLai Tung-kwok
Succeeded byChris Tang
2nd Under Secretary for Security
In office
1 October 2012 – 1 July 2017
SecretaryLai Tung-kwok
Preceded byLai Tung-kwok
Succeeded bySonny Au
Personal details
Born
Lee Ka-chiu

(1957-12-07) 7 December 1957 (age 64)
Hong Kong
Nationality
ResidenceHomantin, Kowloon
EducationWah Yan College, Kowloon
Alma materCharles Sturt University (MPPA)
Signature
Police career
DepartmentHong Kong Police Force
Service years1977 – 2012
RankDeputy Commissioner of Police (Management)
Awards
  • PDSM
  • PMSM
John Lee
Chinese李家超

John Lee Ka-chiu, SBS, PDSM, PMSM, JP (Chinese: 李家超; born 7 December 1957) is a Hong Kong government official and former police officer serving as the current Chief Secretary for Administration, the second senior position in Hong Kong government since 25 June 2021. Lee previously served as Secretary for Security, Under Secretary for Security and Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Career[]

Police officer[]

In 1977, at the age of 20, Lee joined the Royal Hong Kong Police Force as a probationary inspector. He later became chief superintendent in 1997, assistant commissioner in 2003, senior assistant commissioner in 2007 and deputy commissioner in 2010. Having served in a wide range of operational duties, including the CID, Complaints Against Police, Service Quality, Personnel, Training, Information Systems, Finance, Policies Formulation, Planning and Development, Lee had been the Commander of Kowloon West Region, Assistant Commissioner (Crime) and Director of Crime and Security, and Deputy Commissioner (Management).[1]

During his tenure as a police officer, Lee was known to have obtained a master's degree in Public Policy and Administration from Charles Sturt University in Australia under a self-learning programme sponsored by the force.[2][3]

Security Bureau[]

Lee was appointed Under Secretary for Security in 2012 by chief executive Leung Chun-ying[2] and promoted to Secretary for Security in July 2017 in Carrie Lam's administration.

On 3 July 2020, the Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency stated that the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was formally established. There were 10 members of the committee. As the Secretary for Security of Hong Kong, Lee was a member of the committee.[4]

In October 2020, Lee told Shenzhen Satellite TV in an interview that he was thankful for Beijing pushing through the National Security Law.[5]

In December 2020, Lee defended the freezing of bank accounts belonging to former legislator Ted Hui, and said that other bank accounts, including those of suspect's relatives, could be frozen if they were believed to be related to a crime.[6]

In January 2021, after the arrest of 53 pro-democracy figures, Lee stated to the Legislative Council that they were arrested for "subverting state power."[7] Lee also stated that "The Security Bureau strongly reaffirms and fully supports the Police's operation, which is resolute and professional."[8] In addition, Lee stated that the opposition figures' attempts were "evil" and meant to "overthrow" the government.[9]

On 15 January 2021, Lee said that the new National Security Law would include police surveillance of communications, potentially giving the police more power to intercept and read communications.[10]

In April 2021, Lee said that Hong Kong's disciplined services would adopt PLA-style marching in order to demonstrate "nationalistic sentiments" and to "strengthen awareness of national security."[11]

Chief Secretary[]

On 25 June 2021, the HKSAR Government announced that the State Council has on the recommendation of the Chief Executive appointed Lee as Chief Secretary for Administration,[12] making him the third former police officer after William Caine, the founding head of the Hong Kong Police Force who served as Colonial Secretary from 1846 to 1854, and Francis Henry May, Captain Superintendent of the Police Force from 1893 to 1901, and Colonial Secretary from 1902 to 1911, to have taken this role as the most senior minister in government.

In January 2022, after the arrest of employees from Stand News, Lee said that US media groups should support law enforcement, claiming that "If you are genuinely interested in press freedom, you should support actions against people who have unlawfully exploited the media as a tool to pursue their political or personal gains".[13]

Personal life[]

Lee had surgery to remove plane warts from his neck.[14]

Lee's wife and two children hold U.K. citizenship, and therefore Lee is eligible to claim U.K. citizenship as well.[15]

Lee was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star by the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2017.[16]

United States sanctions[]

In August 2020, Lee and ten other officials were sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury under Executive Order 13936 by President Trump for undermining Hong Kong's autonomy.[17][18][19] He owns a flat at King's Park Villa in Ho Man Tin, bought in 1997 for HK $12.5 million and fully paid off, eliminating possible issues from his bank and the US sanctions.[20]

On 14 October 2020, the United States Department of State released a report on 10 individuals who materially contributed to the failure of China to meet its obligations under the Sino–British Joint Declaration and Hong Kong's Basic Law. Lee was on the list.[21]

References[]

  1. ^ "Three Under Secretaries and two Political Assistants appointed".
  2. ^ a b "Press Release". The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Hong Kong cabinet reshuffle: new No 2 official John Lee dismisses concerns over policy experience, cites superior grasp of government work". South China Morning Post. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  4. ^ Liu, Mingyang (8 August 2020). "The Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is formally established with Carrie Lam as chairman". Xinhua Net. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Hong Kong security chief thanks Beijing for new power to crush separatists". Apple Daily 蘋果日報 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  6. ^ "No politics behind bank account freezing: John Lee - RTHK". news.rthk.hk. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  7. ^ Lau, Jessie (6 January 2021). "Hong Kong Police Arrest 53 Pro-Democrats on Subversion Charges". The Diplomat.
  8. ^ "HKSAR Government will not tolerate any offence of subversion". Hong Kong Government. 6 January 2021.
  9. ^ "What sparked Hong Kong's biggest mass arrests under national security law?". South China Morning Post. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  10. ^ "HK security chief says communications surveillance can come under security law". Reuters. 15 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Police goose step for public to show off nationalism - RTHK". news.rthk.hk. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  12. ^ Cheng, Selina (25 June 2021). "Security chief John Lee to become Hong Kong's no. 2; police chief to head up security". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Wall Street Journal should support arrests in Hong Kong: John Lee". The Standard HK.
  14. ^ "SB responds to media enquiries on S for S' health condition". Hong Kong Government. 25 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Hong Kong's ruling-class hypocrisy: how 'patriotic' enablers of the crackdown cling onto their foreign escape routes". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Appendix to the 2017 Honours List" (PDF). Hong Kong SAR Government. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  17. ^ "US sanctions Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, police chief and 9 other top officials for 'undermining autonomy'". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  18. ^ Macias, Amanda (7 August 2020). "U.S. sanctions Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam for carrying out Chinese 'policies of suppression'". CNBC. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  19. ^ "Treasury Sanctions Individuals for Undermining Hong Kong's Autonomy". United States Department of the Treasury. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  20. ^ "Teresa Cheng's mortgage under scrutiny as US sanctions cut bank ties". South China Morning Post. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  21. ^ U.S. Department of State. "Identification of Foreign Persons Involved in the Erosion of the Obligations of China Under the Joint Declaration or the Basic Law". Archived from the original on 14 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
Political offices
Preceded by Under Secretary for Security
2012–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Secretary for Security
2017–2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Secretary for Administration
2021–present 		Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded by
Leung Chun-ying
Former Chief Executive
 Hong Kong order of precedence
Chief Secretary for Administration 		Succeeded by
Paul Chan Mo-po
Financial Secretary
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