The Executive Council of Hong Kong (ExCo, traditional Chinese: 行政會議) is an organ in the executive branch of the government of Hong Kong. It is responsible for assisting the Chief Executive in policy-making. (Article 54 of the Basic Law). In other words, it is the cabinet of the Chief Executive.
The Executive Council normally meets once a week (on Tuesdays). The Executive Council is consulted before the Chief Executive makes important policy decisions, often via orders-in-council, or introduces bills to the Legislative Council.
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History
The Executive Council was first set up by the colonial government. The first ex-officio member were the Colonial Secretary and the Colonial Treasurer in the 1840s. The Attorney General was added in the 1850s. In 1949, the Executive Council had five ex-officio members: the senior military officer (Commander of British Forces Overseas), the colonial secretary, the attorney general, the secretary for Chinese affairs and the financial secretary; the Commissioner of Labour, while an 'official' was not an ex-officio member. In addition, there were six 'unofficial members': the chief manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the Jardine's taipan, a solicitor, two barristers, and a physician.[1]
The formation of the Executive Council remained after the transfer of sovereignty in 1997 (except the title of senior member was renamed convenor) until a ministerial system (named Principal Officials Accountability System or POAS) was introduced in 2002, Tung Chee Hwa's second term of office. Since then all secretaries are political appointees and have to leave the civil service. All secretaries are appointed to the council, transforming the council effectively into a cabinet. Non-official members are minorities in the council, and are like ministers-without-portfolio. The position of convenor was abolished.
In fulfilling his election platform, Sir Donald Tsang, the new Chief Executive, appointed eight new non-official members the day after the policy address was delivered on 12 October 2005. Secretaries of bureaux will sit in meetings of the Council when the agenda is related to their portfolio, and the position of convenor was restored. It was seen as a move to re-strengthen the role of the Council as a link with the community.
Composition
The members of ExCo are appointed by the Chief Executive from among principal officials (informally called "ministers"), members of Legislative Council, and public figures. The appointment and removal is decided by the Chief Executive. There is no fixed term of office, but the term of office of members shall not extend beyond the expiry of that of the Chief Executive who appoints them. (Article 55 of the Basic Law)
The Council is presided over by the Chief Executive. There are currently 14 ex-officio members and 15 non-official members in the Executive Council. Ex-officio members except the Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary and Secretary for Justice only sit in meetings that are related to their portfolio.
Members include
- Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, KBE, GBM, JP, - Chief Executive of Hong Kong and President of the Executive Council
- Henry Tang Ying-yen, GBS, JP - Chief Secretary for Administration
- John TSANG Chun-wah, JP - Financial Secretary
- Wong Yan Lung, SC, JP - Secretary for Justice
- Michael Suen Ming-yeung, GBS, JP - Secretary for Education
- Rita Lau Ng Wai Lan, JP - Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
- Stephen LAM Sui-lung, JP - Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
- Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong, IDSM, JP - Secretary for Security
- Dr York Chow Yat-ngok, SBS, JP - Secretary for Food and Health
- Denise Yue Chung Yee, GBS, JP - Secretary for the Civil Service
- Tsang Tak-sing, JP - Secretary for Home Affairs, criminal record holder [2]
- Matthew CHEUNG Kin-chung, GBS, JP - Secretary for Labour and Welfare
- Prof CHAN Ka-keung, SBS, JP - Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
- Carrie LAM CHENG Yuet-ngor, JP - Secretary for Development
- Edward YAU Tang-wah, JP - Secretary for the Environment
- Eva CHENG, JP - Secretary for Transport and Housing
Non-Official Members include:
- Leung Chun-ying, GBS, JP (Convenor of non-official members)
- Rafael Hui Si Yan GBM, GBS, JP - Former Chief Secretary for Administration
- Cheng Yiu-tong SBS, JP - General secretary of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions
- Andrew Liao Cheung-sing SBS, JP - Senior Counsel
- Laura M Cha SBS
- Bernard C Chan JP - Legislative Councillor of The Alliance
- Lee Yeh Kwong, GBS, JP
- Ronald Arculli, GBS, JP
- Leong Che Hung, GBS, JP
- Marvin Cheung Kin Tung, SBS, JP
- Henry Fan Hung Ling, SBS, JP
- Victor Lo Chung Wing, GBS, JP
- Anthony Cheung Bing Leung, BBS, JP
- Lau Kong Wah, JP - Legislative Councillor of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong
January 2009 appointments[3]
- Lau Wong-fat, Heung Yee Kuk representative in the Legislative Council,
- Lawrence J. Lau, vice-chancellor Chinese University
- Anna Wu, member Law Reform Commission
- Marjorie Yang, chairwoman, Hong Kong-US Business Council
- V-Nee Yeh, founder and non-executive honorary chairman of Value Partners Group.
Provisional Executive Council Members
Members of this council included many faces of Hong Kong's business world, former Execo members and future members of the official Execo following the handover:[4]
- Leung Chun Ying
- Antony Leung GBS JP - banker and later Financial Secretary
- Sir Ghung Sze Yuen GBM, GBE - former Legco and Execo member
- Chung Shui-ming - CE of the SAR Government Land Fund, Sino British Land Commission, senior researcher for Xinhua News Agency, bank director and HK Affairs Advisor
- Tam Yiu-chung GBS JP - now chairman of the DAB
- Yang Ti-liang GBS, SPMB, JP - former Chief Justice of Hong Kong
- Leung Chun-ying GBS JP, BSc
- Nellie Fong Wong Kut-man - former Legco member, HK Affairs Advisor, PCSC member
- Charles Lee Yeh Kwong GBM, GBS, OBE, JP - former chair of the HK Exchanges and Clearing Limited
- Henry Tang Ying-yen GBS JP - former Legco member; now Chief Secretary
- Paul Yip Kwok-wah - special advisor to the CE
Dame Rosanne Wong Yick-ming DBE, JP, MSW (Chair of the Housing Authority) and Dr Raymond Chien Kuo-fung GBS, CBE, JP did not attend pre-handover events as they were still members of the British Execo.
Location
The Executive Council meets in the Main Wing of the Central Government Offices on Government Hill, in Central and below Government House (former residence of the British Governor of Hong Kong).
The Provisional Executive Council of Hong Kong headed by Tung Chee Hwa met in Shenzhen or Tung's Asia Pacific Finance Tower office in Hong Kong prior to the handover. Members of the outgoing council were not permitted to attend this body.
Both Executive Council sittings were on Tuesdays.
See also
External links
References
- ^ Ingrams, Harold, Hong Kong (Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London: 1952), p. 231.
- ^ "Chan 'flabbergasted' by attack" South China Morning Post, Thursday, 6 December 2006
- ^ Kuk chief among five new Exco members, The Standard, 20 January 2009
- ^ Exco goes West with SAR seating, SCMP, 19 February 1997
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