HONG KONG -- Three security officials who helped lead Hong Kong's crackdown on protests and dissent over the past two years have been awarded promotions just ahead of the first anniversary of a national security law imposed on the city by Beijing.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced the three promotions at a news conference Friday. The reshuffle will elevate Secretary of Security John Lee to chief secretary, the highest position in the government behind Lam. Lam herself previously served as chief secretary, as did an earlier chief executive.
This will be the most senior role ever held by a police veteran. Lee has spent his career in security roles since originally joining the police in 1977.
Police Commissioner Chris Tang will then step up to security secretary. Tang, in turn, will be succeeded by his deputy Raymond Siu.
Lee and Tang, as well as Lam, were put under financial sanctions by the U.S. government last year for what Washington said were their roles in undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms.
Asked by a reporter whether Hong Kong is turning into a "police state" with the cabinet reshuffle, Lam said, "We are choosing people for a job based only on talent."
"The mere fact that a particular candidate that does not have a full range of experience is not one of the most important factors," she added.
Chinese state media preempted Lam's announcements, with Xinhua News Agency reporting approval of the appointments by the State Council a half-hour before her news conference. Xinhua said the moves had been endorsed on Wednesday.
"Mainland experts see the latest appointments as promoting those #HongKong officials who firmly uphold the principle of only patriots governing #HongKong, turning a new page for local governance," tweeted Global Times, a tabloid under the wing of the Chinese Communist Party's media arm, just before Lam spoke.
Before leaving the news conference early, Lee said that he "feels honored to be appointed by the Central People's Government." He vowed to "turn from chaos to rule under the national security law while unfolding a new chapter in effective governance."
Tang meanwhile said he would cooperate with other enforcement units to "prevent and strike terrorism at home and activities attempted by foreign forces."
Lee succeeds Matthew Cheung, among the most popular senior government officials according to periodic polling by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI).
Cheung, who joined the government in 1972 and became chief secretary in January 2017, is perhaps best known for issuing a public apology over the police handling of an attack on protest sympathizers by apparent gangsters at a train station in June 2019. His move came under fire from police unions.
Cheung, who held a separate news conference on Friday after Lam, expressed gratitude to Beijing and the city's chief executives for their "trust and support."
He tried to leave without taking questions, but responded to a reporter's shouted query about his removal just ahead of the July 1 anniversary of the city's return to Chinese rule by saying, "Let us build Hong Kong together."
Lee has been highly unpopular for his high-profile role in the government's forceful response to citywide protests calling for accountability for police and government abuses and missteps, among other demands. According to PORI polling, more respondents have wanted Lee replaced than kept in his role since mass protests erupted in June 2019.
At a news conference last month to explain the freezing of personal assets belonging to Jimmy Lai, outspoken founder of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, Lee emphasized, "Any activities that endanger national security will not be tolerated." Without naming Lai or Apple Daily, Lee added, "Such activities or such person or such organization will receive the full force of the law."
Lai and a number of Apple Daily managers and journalists face charges under the national security law for "collusion with foreign forces."
Security officials have linked the charges in part to some 30 articles they said encouraged foreign governments and organizations to sanction Hong Kong or China.
Lai is now serving a 20-month prison sentence over his participation in three unauthorized assemblies. Following moves to freeze bank accounts belonging to Lai and his media companies, Apple Daily shut down Thursday after 26 years in operation.
While the government has frozen pay for members of the civil service since last year, an official panel this week recommended that the police receive a salary hike.
Additional reporting by Cora Zhu