Patrick Nip
Patrick Nip Tak-kuen (Chinese: 聶德權; born 1964) is a Hong Kong government official. Since April 2020, he has been Secretary for the Civil Service in Chief Executive Carrie Lam's administration.
Patrick Nip Tak-kuen JP | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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聶德權 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary for the Civil Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 22 April 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief Executive | Carrie Lam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Joshua Law | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1 July 2017 – 22 April 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief Executive | Carrie Lam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Raymond Tam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Erick Tsang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | 1964 (age 55–56) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Hong Kong (BSS) Harvard Kennedy School (MPA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background
Nip attended Kwun Tong Maryknoll College and then the University of Hong Kong, graduating in 1986. He obtained a master's degree in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School and has also studied at Oxford University and attended national studies courses at the Chinese Academy of Governance.[1]
Career
Nip joined the Administrative Service in August 1986, serving in various bureaux and departments, including the City and New Territories Administration, the Deputy Chief Secretary's Office, the Trade and Industry Branch, the Finance Branch, the Civil Service Branch, the Trade Department, the Chief Executive's Office, the former Health and Welfare Bureau, the Beijing Office and the former Health, Welfare and Food Bureau.[2]
He was appointed Director of Social Welfare in 2009 and Director (Special Duties) in the Chief Secretary for Administration's Private Office in 2013, before becoming Director of Information Services in February 2014. For a year from July 2016 he was Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health).[2]
From July 2017, Nip was Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs. But in a cabinet reshuffle on 22 April 2020, Lam removed him from the role (to be replaced by Erick Tsang). The announcement came two days after Nip's office had issued (and then amended) press statements that failed to reflect Beijing's assertion that the Liaison Office and Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office were not subject to Article 22 of the Basic Law, preventing interference in Hong Kong affairs by mainland authorities. Until then, all branches of the Hong Kong Government had always stated that they were, and indeed it was widely held that that such effect was central to the 'one country, two systems principle.[3][4]
Nip immediately took up the role of Secretary for the Civil Service, controversially the first non-civil servant to hold the post, at a time of emerging political activism within Civil Service ranks and pressure from Beijing for unswerving loyalty from all Hong Kong government staff.[5]
References
- "Mr Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, JP, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs". Hong Kong government.
- "Senior appointments (with photos)".
- Ho, Kelly (2020-04-21). "Mainland affairs minister Patrick Nip replaced following apology over Beijing office row". Hong Kong Free Press. HKFP. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
- Cheung, Gary (2020-04-21). "Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to announce major cabinet reshuffle with four ministers leaving and another transferred, sources reveal". SCMP. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
- Cheng, Lillian (2020-04-23). "Hong Kong's new civil service chief faces daunting challenge of pleasing Beijing while boosting staff morale, experts say". SCMP. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
Government offices | ||
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Preceded by Stephen Frederick Fisher |
Director of Social Welfare 2009–2013 |
Succeeded by Carol Yip |
Preceded by Michael Wong |
Director of Information Services 2014–2016 |
Succeeded by Joe Wong |
Preceded by Richard Yuen |
Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health) 2016–2017 |
Succeeded by Elizabeth Tse |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Raymond Tam |
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs 2017–2020 |
Succeeded by Erick Tsang |
Preceded by Joshua Law |
Secretary for the Civil Service 2020–present |
Incumbent |