Hong Kong’s top officials will earn more than HK$177 million taxpayer dollars this year, even as the city expects its budget deficit to double from earlier forecasts to more than HK$100 billion.
Hong Kong government officials attend a press conference on May 2, 2023 about the proposed amendments to the District Councils. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
Erick Tsang, the director for constitutional and mainland affairs, said in a written reply to legislator Regina Ip on Wednesday that politically appointed officials would enjoy a 1.8 per cent pay rise compared to last year.
While officials saw their salaries frozen in 2020 and 2021 amid the Covid-19 pandemic, their earnings have risen by 26 per cent this year compared to 2015.
In total, Hong Kong’s 55 politically appointed officials, all of whom report to Chief Executive John Lee, will be paid more than HK$171 million this year.
According to local media, Lee will earn HK$469,495 per month this year, bringing the total amount earned by officials to more than HK$177 million taxpayer dollars.
In 2002, Hong Kong’s first chief executive Tung Chee-hwa established the Principal Officials Accountability System, which meant that all principle officials would be politically appointed by Beijing on the chief executive’s recommendation rather than civil servants.
Chief Executive John Lee swore in the new Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan (left) and the new Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui (right) on December 5, 2024. Photo: GovHK.
All heads of bureaux then became ministers, and all principle officials are employed on contracts, reporting directly to the chief executive.
Hong Kong’s politically appointed officials comprise three secretaries, three deputy secretaries, 15 directors of bureaux and 14 deputy bureau directors, one director of the Chief Executive’s Office, and 19 political assistants.
Salaries of top officials
Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan, Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, the three highest-ranking officials, earn the most.
While Eric Chan makes HK$417,330 a month, Paul Chan takes home HK$403,215 per month, and Lam receives HK$389,580. The three deputy secretaries earn HK$382,990 per month.
Central Government Offices in Admiralty. Photo: GovHK.
Meanwhile, 15 bureau directors earn a monthly salary of HK$376,405, while their deputy directors receive monthly salaries ranging from HK$244,665 to HK$282,305.
Each of the 19 political assistants, the lowest-ranking officials, is paid HK$131,740 per month.
‘Excessive’
Paul Tse, a solicitor and a pro-establishment lawmaker, asked Tsang in May whether it was “excessive” to have 19 political assistants while the government saw decreasing revenue, local media outlets reported.
Hong Kong lawmaker Paul Tse. File photo: Legislative Council, via Flickr.
Tsang said in response that the number of political assistants was “appropriate,” adding that they were employed to assist top officials in lobbying, developing political connections, and providing assessments and analyses.
