A former police officer who led daily press briefings during the 2019 protests and unrest has been appointed to a top post leading the Hong Kong government’s media relations department.
Authorities announced on Monday that John Tse would begin the role as head of the Information Services Department (ISD) on Tuesday.
Tse was previously appointed in June 2024 as an information coordinator at the Chief Executive’s Office, where he formulates public relations and media strategies.
Prior to that, he was a communications secretary at the office, whose responsibilities included managing Chief Executive John Lee’s social media, and the principal assistant secretary in the Security Bureau.
Tse is best known as the former chief superintendent of the police force’s public relations branch.
He led daily press conferences during the anti-extradition protests in 2019, when police would announce arrest figures and deployments.
In 2020, Tse was awarded the chief executive’s “commendation for government/public service” for his “outstanding contribution in relation to the handling of social incidents.”
‘Most suitable candidate’
Tse’s appointment as director of the Information Services Department comes after the government launched open recruitment for the position, as well as for the head of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
The recruitment broke the authorities’ long-standing tradition of appointing administrative officers to top roles. The requirements for the jobs included “political acumen.”
According to the government statement on Monday, Tse was identified as “the most suitable candidate” following a selection process.
“Mr Tse has extensive experience in public administration, is highly skilled in handling media and public relations, and possesses outstanding leadership and management capabilities,” Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said in the statement.
Tse was rumoured to be up for the job even before the government announced the recruitment.
According to political insiders in October, Tse would be replacing then-ISD chief Apollonia Liu, who at the time was rumoured to be moving to the permanent secretary role at the Security Bureau. Liu took up the new post in February.
