Hong Kong’s former culture and tourism minister Kevin Yeung has said he will begin “another stage in life,” after he was sacked in an unexpected cabinet reshuffle alongside the transport chief Lam Sai-hung.
Former secretary for culture, sports and tourism Kevin Yeung. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
Less than two hours after state news agency Xinhua reported on Thursday morning that he had been removed as secretary for culture, sports and tourism, Yeung posted a panoramic photo of skyscrapers along the Kowloon side of the harbour.
“Thank you all for your concern! The sky and ocean is vast. I am stepping into another stage of life,” he wrote in Chinese.
The social media post came several hours before the government released an official departure statement from Yeung. The former minister said he had been honoured to serve in his post since July 2022 and thanked his colleagues in the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau for “fighting side by side with me.”
Kevin Yeung shared a photo of Hong Kong’s skyline on December 5, 2024, less than two hours after Chinese state news agency reported that he was fired as Hong Kong’s secretary for culture, sports and tourism. Photo: Kevin Yeung Facebook screenshot.
He also said he was grateful for the support of members of the government political team, adding he was “indebted” to all colleagues, industry stakeholders and the media throughout his public service of around 10 years.
“I believe that the newly appointed Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, will continue to committing to the duties with her team, striving for the betterment and development of Hong Kong’s future,” his statement read.
Before leading the culture, sports and tourism department, Yeung was education minister. His biography on the website of the office of Chief Executive John Lee had become inaccessible as of Thursday evening.
Chief Executive, Mr John Lee (centre), meets the media with the Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan (first left), and the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law (first right), on December 5, 2024. Photo: GovHK.
Lee made the unexpected changes to his administration on Thursday, firing Yeung and Lam two and a half years after they took office, when he himself took the helm.
Lam said he joined the government in 1983 and became a politically appointee in 2022. He said he was grateful for the trust of the Chinese government, the support of Lee, and the help from his colleagues in the government and friends in the industry over the years.
“It has been a privilege to work alongside all of you during this time, and I am honoured to complete my 40-year public service career as the Secretary for Transport and Logistics,” his statement read.
Lam also wished the new transport secretary Mable Chan “all the best” and said he firmly believed the civil service team would continue to support her work.
Yeung did not mention Lee or the Chinese government in his statement.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung meets the press on October 31, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
On Thursday the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI) reviewed the popularity ratings of Yeung and Lam during the current government term. The ex-culture minister at one time saw his net approval rate slip to the lowest among all secretaries, but he saw a rebound in the latest poll.
Lam had consistently maintained a positive net approval rating, even achieving the highest ranking in March this year.
The pollster also quoted its survey in September, which showed Secretary for Education Christine Choi and Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak as the the ministers with the highest percentage of respondents seeking their dismissal. Yeung placed fourth in this poll alongside security chief Chris Tang.
