The Central People's Government has, on my nomination, approved the appointment of Principal Officials for the third-term Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. An announcement of the appointments has just been made.

The appointments include incumbent Principal Officials and several new faces. This will help us to ensure stability and continuity, as well as add some new blood to our governing team.

All the newcomers are very familiar with public policy making. Those from the Administrative Officer grade have extensive experience in public administration. As for the other two, Tsang Tak-sing has worked in the Government for some time, and has a good grasp of government operations.

Professor K C Chan is an expert in financial and economic affairs. He has wide public service experience in many government committees and bodies. So he is no stranger to public policy. All of the members of my new team have displayed in their work a strong sense of pragmatism that I promote.

Common commitment

While their backgrounds are diverse, the three Secretaries and 12 Directors of Bureaux share a common commitment to our country, our territory and our people. Importantly, they share my governing philosophy. Given their talents and abilities, they are the best candidates for these senior positions. Together, they will make a great team. This professional, pragmatic and committed new team will single-mindedly work with me to deliver on the pledges I made in my election platform.

To the outgoing Chief Secretary for Administration, Rafael Hui, and the five Directors of Bureaux, I extend my utmost gratitude on behalf of the SAR Government. Because of their patriotism and passion to serve the community, they gave up their former jobs and threw themselves into their new roles under the accountability system.

During times of adversity, they resolutely remained with the SAR Government to loyally serve our people. Looking back, we can see that Hong Kong has overcome one challenge after another. Today, we are back on track, moving forward, and our economy has been growing impressively.

Deepest thanks to outgoing officials

While thanks should go to the Hong Kong people for their determination and resilience, as well as their understanding and support for the SAR Government, we must also pay tribute to the meritorious service of these Principal Officials. I extend my deepest thanks to them. I wish them all the best in their new endeavours, and look forward to seeing them contribute to the community in other capacities.

Five years ago, the accountability system was introduced. It was a new attempt by the SAR Government to introduce a new mode of governance. We explored this new system, and sharpened our policy work. At the same time, we had to deal with a series of crises and challenges, which allowed us to gain valuable experience.

People-based government

This third-term SAR Government will be a 'people-based' government. I have asked all Principal Officials to reach out to the community, to talk with the general public, to feel the public pulse and to embrace public sentiment. By doing so, our policies may truly meet the needs of our people.

This new team signals the start of a new term, new ideas and new initiatives. It also marks the starting point for a new Administration embarking on a new journey with the Legislative Council and the community in the spirit of co-operation.