Top Hong Kong civil servant quits

Anson Chan: 'Time to move on'

January 12, 2001
Web posted at: 7:27 PM HKT (1127 GMT)

By Yenni Kwok
CNN.com Writer

HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Hong Kong Chief Secretary Anson Chan has announced that she will resign her post at the end of April, 18 months earlier than scheduled.

The territory's Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa has accepted the resignation of his second in command. A replacement is to be announced soon.

In a packed news conference Friday, Chan denied rumors that she was leaving because of personal differences with Tung or a reprimand from Beijing.

She told reporters she wants to rest and travel with her husband.

"After more than 38 years [in the civil service], it is time for change, to move on and let the new blood move in," she said.

VIDEO What will the fallout be over Chan's resignation? CNN's Mike Chinoy investigates Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

Since the 1997 handover from British colonial rule, there have been signs of growing differences between Chief Executive and his de facto deputy.

In September Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen called on Chan to show more support to Tung, whose popularity among Hong Kong residents has been plunging.

Beijing also views her good relationship with Hong Kong's last colonial governor, Chris Patten, in an unfavorable light.

"I had decided to retire in July," said Chan, 61, pointing out that her decision came before the Beijing visit last year.

She added that she continued to have a good working relationship with Tung.

The Chief Executive, who was at Chan's side during the press announcement, said he wanted her to stay until June 2002 and had tried to persuade her to change her mind.

'Wise counsel'

"I could not change her position to retire. After a very careful consideration, I have accepted her request and respect her decision," Tung said.

He went on to praise Chan's "wise counsel" and contribution to the territory's transition from British to Chinese power during the last three and half years as his chief secretary.

However, Lau Siu-kai, professor of sociology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, believes Chan is leaving because she has lost trust from Beijing and Tung.

With Tung looking likely to introduce a number of outsiders to his cabinet, Lau says, "Chan found herself in an increasingly difficult position."

Chan's resignation, he added, would be a blow to the Chief Executive as well as Hong Kong's international image.

There has been growing speculation that Donald Tsang, the territory's current finance chief, will be appointed as Chan's replacement.

Chan joined the civil service as Hong Kong's first female administrative officer in 1962.

In 1993, under the Patten government, she became the first local and the first female to be appointed to the post of chief secretary.

Chan, who is also the head of Hong Kong's 180,000-strong civil servants, kept her post when Tung took over as chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1997.

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