Rafael Hui Si-yan appointed senior HK official
(Xinhua/Agencies)
Updated: 2005-06-30 13:48

The State Council, China's cabinet, on Thursday appointed Rafael Hui Si-yan Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

Newly appointed Chief Secretary Rafael Hui (R) stands beside Chief Executive Donald Tsang at the government headquarters in Hong Kong June 30, 2005. [Reuters]

The appointment was made in line with the Basic Law of the HKSAR and upon the nomination of Chief Executive of the HKSAR Donald Tsang, according to the State Council.

As chief secretary, Hui, 57, assist Tsang in the day-to-day implementation of government policies and will be the senior member in the Executive Council, the highest policy-making body in the territory.

The chief secretary is also in charge of Hong Kong's powerful civil service.

Tsang was sworn-in as chief executive in Beijing last Friday, replacing Tung Chee-hwa, who quit in March citing poor health.

Last Saturday, Tsang submitted Hui's name for the post of chief secretary for formal approval by Beijing, which took back this former British colony in 1997.

Hui, a racehorse owner and classical music fan, is a former top civil servant who was chief strategist of Tsang's recent election campaign. Friends and former colleagues describe him as tough and politically astute.

Hui joined the government in 1970 and steadily rose through the ranks. He was secretary for financial services before leaving in 2000 to become managing director of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, which runs Hong Kong's major retirement fund.

Hui worked closely with Tsang and Hong Kong Monetary Authority chief Joseph Yam when the trio steered Hong Kong through Asia's 1997/98 financial crisis and successfully fended off speculators trying to attack the Hong Kong dollar. 

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