Financial Secretary (Hong Kong)

Financial Secretary
財政司司長
Incumbent
The Hon Paul Chan
since 16 January 2016
StyleThe Honourable
Member ofExecutive Council
Reports toLegislative Council
Residence45 Shouson Hill Road
AppointerState Council of the People's Republic of China
nomination by Chief Executive
Term lengthNo longer than the Chief Executive's remaining term
Inaugural holderSir Donald Tsang
Formation1 July 1997
SalaryHK$4.3 million p.a.[1]
Websitefso.gov.hk
Financial Secretary
Traditional Chinese財政司司長
Simplified Chinese财政司司长
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinCáizhèng Sī Sīzhǎng
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationChòih jing sī sī jéung
JyutpingCoi4 zing3 si1 si1 zoeng2

The Financial Secretary is the title held by the Hong Kong government minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters (“Department of Finance” per Article 60 of the Basic Law). The position is among the three most senior Principal Officials of the Government, second only to the Chief Secretary in the order of precedence (but not subordinate to the CS). Together with other secretaries, the Financial Secretary is accountable to the Legislative Council and the Chief Executive (the Governor before the 1997 handover) for his actions in supervising the formulation and implementation of financial and economic policies.

The position evolved out of the office of the Colonial Treasurer before 1940. The Financial Secretary is a member of the Executive Council, and gives advice to the Chief Executive in that capacity. He is also responsible for delivering the annual budget to the Legislative Council. To date, it is the only office among the three highest Principal Officials of the Government (Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary, and Secretary for Justice) not to have been occupied by a woman.

The incumbent Financial Secretary is Paul Chan Mo-po.

  1. ^ "Remuneration package for Politically Appointed Officials serving in fifth-term HKSAR Government". Hong Kong Government.