Henry Tang

Henry Tang Ying-yen GBS JP (zh-c|c=唐英年) (born 1952) is the Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong. He is a massively wealthy free-market capitalist who believes in minimal government economic involvement.

Biography

The former textile tycoon was promoted from Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology to Finance Secretary on 4 August 2003, replacing Antony Leung. Leung resigned on 16 July 2003 in the wake of his alleged avoidance of taxing his new car. Tang briefly served from 25 May to 21 June 2005 as acting Chief Executive after Tung Chee Hwa, the former Chief Executive, resigned citing health reasons, and Donald Tsang, Chief Secretary, resigned to run in the by-election.

Tang comes from a prominent family which runs a textile empire and traces his roots back to Shanghai.

He has extensive ties with PRC leaders. His father Tang Hsiang Chien is a former standing committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the advisory body to the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, and was said to have personal friendship with Jiang Zemin, former PRC president and general secretary of the Communist Party.

Tang took up his commerce post in July 2002 as part of a line-up of new secretaries aimed at improving the government's transparency. He is a long-time friend of former Chief Executive of Hong Kong Tung Chee Hwa.

Tang cut his teeth in the private sector. He was named as Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum in 1993 and won the Young Industrialist of Hong Kong award in 1989.

He has been part of Tung's cabinet since the former British colony was handed to the PRC in 1997.

Before that, he served as a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 1991 to 1998, and was on various government boards and public bodies. He was a member of the Liberal Party, a pro-businessmen and pro-Beijing party, before joining the government.

Married with four children (three daughters and a son), Tang holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Michigan. He is known for his large red wine collection.

Tang has been a member of the Executive Council since 1997. He served as a member of the Legislative Council for seven years from 1991 to 1998. Tang has also served extensively on various government boards and public bodies, including the Trade Development Council, Town Planning Board, University Grants Committee, and Council of the City University of Hong Kong.

Before joining the Government in 2002, Tang served as the Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries between 1995 and 2001. He was also a Committee Member of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and a Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. He was also the Chairman of the PCICB before joining the Government.

Political career

Tenure as Financial Secretary

Tang was involved in the Harbour Fest controversy as Chairman of the Economic Relaunch Strategy Group responsible for pushing ahead with the plan to spend $100 million to revive the economy after SARS, and said that he should be held responsible. Tang had said that although Mike Rowse, a senior civil servant, had actually signed the contract, Rowse as such was not required to be held politically responsible. [cite web|author= Cannix Yau|url= http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=30713&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20031031&sear_year=2003|title= Leung 'not to blame for Fest contracts'| publisher=The Standard|date= 31 October 2003] However, during an Working Group meeting on 31 October 2003 and during an independent inquiry in May 2004, Tang allegedly said Rowse had not acted improperly and that there had been no irregularity in the implementation of the event.Nishika Patel, [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=62073&sid=17761977&con_type=1&d_str=20080226&sear_year=2008 Rowse seeks to have music fest verdict quashed] , "The Standard", 26 February 2008] Tang had also said that all parties had under-estimated the complexity of the event and may have been too ambitious in organizing it in such a short timespan. He later withdrew the remark: just before a government inquiry opened on November 2004, Tang requested the ERWG minutes be deleted. Internal governmental disciplinary process fined Rowse for misconduct, but a High Court judge quashed the government ruling on 4 July 2008. Political commentator Frank Ching pointed to the huge credibility gap of the government. He noted that the attempt of Tang to shift political responsibility from himself, as the minister responsible, to a senior civil servant, was a travesty of justice for Rowse, and went against the Accountability System. [cite journal|author= Frank Ching|title= Credibility gap| publisher= "South China Morning Post" |date= 15 July 2008]

On 25 May 2005, Donald Tsang, The Chief Secretary for Administration, resigned because of his intention to run for the Chief Executive by-election. Tang served as Acting Chief Executive of HKSAR soon after Tsang's resignation was announced.

Tenure as Chief Secretary

On 23 June 2007, it was announced that Tang would succeed Rafael Hui as the new Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong effective 1 July 2007. it is rumoured that he may contest in the Chief Executive Elections in 2012.

ee also

*Antony Leung
*Politics of Hong Kong
*Executive Council of Hong Kong

External links

* [http://www.gov.hk/en/about/govdirectory/po/cs.htm Henry Tang's introduction at Administration's Office]

References