Government of Hong Kong
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The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (traditional Chinese: 中華人民共和國香港特別行政區政府; see pronunciation; conventional short name Hong Kong Government, 香港政府), led by the Chief Executive is responsible for the administration of Hong Kong. The affairs of the Government are decided by secretaries, who are appointed by the Chief Executive and endorsed by the Central People's Government in Beijing. As a special administrative region of the PRC, Hong Kong has a high degree of autonomy, in light of the "One Country, Two Systems" policy. The Hong Kong Government, financially independent from the CPG, oversees the affairs of Hong Kong.
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[edit] Head of government
The Chief Executive (CE) is responsible for the administration of Hong Kong. The affairs of the Government are decided by secretaries, who are appointed by the Chief Executive and endorsed by the Central People's Government in Beijing. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong replaced the Governor of Hong Kong after 1997 as head of the government in Hong Kong. The CE reports to the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China.
The current Chief Executive is the Honourable Donald Tsang Yam-kuen GBM JP KBE MPA.
The Chief Executive is assisted by the Chief Secretary for Administration (CS) and the Financial Secretary (FS), and other secretaries who heads policy bureaux. The Secretary for Justice (SJ) is responsible for legal matters of the government and prosecution for criminal cases in the territory. The Independent Commission Against Corruption and Audit Commission report directly to the CE.
[edit] Chief secretary
The Chief Secretary for Administration is responsible for assisting the Chief Executive in supervision of policy bureaux, and plays a key role in ensuring harmony in policy formulation and implementation. The current Chief Secretary, since 1 July 2007, is the Honourable Mr Henry Tang Ying-nian
[edit] Financial secretary
The Financial Secretary is responsible for preparing the Government Budget in accordance with the Chief Executive's agenda in the policy address, ensuring policy is in accordance to the Public Finance Ordinance. He has to estimate of revenue and expenditure before the Legislative Council each year, and to deliver an annual budget to the Legislative Council, outlining the government's budgetary proposals and moving the appropriation bills. The current FS is the Honourable John Tsang.
[edit] Executive council
The Executive Council (ExCo) consists of the CE and the secretaries (ex officio members) and other appointed members (non-ex-officio members). Under the Basic Law, it is to assist the Chief Executive in policy-making.
[edit] Government offices and policy bureaux
[edit] Office of the Chief Executive
The Office of the Chief Executive is responsible for ensuring the Chief Executive receives the best advice and support for formulating and co-ordinating policies. It is headed by the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, who would sit in meetings of the Executive Council.
[edit] Chief Secretary's Office
Units under the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office are the Administration Wing, the Efficiency Unit, the Protocol Division, the Government Records Service and the Sustainable Development Unit.
[edit] Financial Secretary's Office
The Economic Analysis and Business Facilitation Unit is under the Financial Secretary's Office.
[edit] Department of Justice
The Department of Justice is led by the Secretary for Justice (Legal Department and Attorney General before the transfer of sovereignty). The Secretary for Justice (SJ) is responsible for all prosecutions in Hong Kong, drafting all Government legislation, and advising other policy bureaux and departments of the governmenton a vast array of legal issues.
The current Secretary for Justice is the Honourable Wong Yan Lung SC.
The department consists of the Prosecutions Division, the Civil Division, the Legal Policy Division, the Law Drafting Division, the International Law Division, and the Administration and Development Division.
[edit] Government secretariat
After the reorganisation in 2007, the Government Secretariat today consists of twelve policy bureaux. It is officially headed by the Chief Secretary for Administration.
- Civil Service Bureau
- Constitution and Mainland Affairs Bureau
- Education Bureau
- Environment Bureau
- Food and Health Bureau
- Home Affairs Bureau
- Labour and Welfare Bureau
- Security Bureau
- Transport and Housing Bureau
- Commerce and Economic Development Bureau
- Development Bureau
- Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau
