Patrick Nip

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.

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).

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.

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.