Ambrose Lee Explained

Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong
Native Name Lang:zh
Office:Secretary for Security
Term Start:5 August 2003
Term End:30 June 2012
Predecessor:Regina Ip
Successor:Lai Tung-kwok
1Blankname:Chief Executive
2Blankname:Chief Secretary
3Blankname:Undersecretary
3Namedata:Lai Tung-kwok
4Blankname:Permanent Secretary
5Blankname:Political Assistant
5Namedata:Victor Lo
Birth Date:17 August 1948
Birth Place:British Hong Kong

Ancestral hometown: Qingyuan city, Guangdong province, China

Death Place:Hong Kong
Office1:Commissioner of the ICAC
Term Start1:1 July 2002
Term End1:4 August 2003
Predecessor1:Alan Lai
Successor1:Raymond Wong
Office2:Director of Immigration
Term Start2:1998
Term End2:2002
Predecessor2:Regina Ip
Successor2:Lai Tung-kwok
Education:Kowloon Technical School
Alma Mater:University of Hong Kong (BEng)
Signature:Signature of Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong.png

Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong (; 17 August 1948 – 14 August 2022) was a Hong Kong politician who held the position of Secretary for Security between 2003 and 2012. He also previously served as the Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) between 2002 and 2003, and as the Director of Immigration between 1998 and 2002.[1] [2]

Education

Lee studied in Kowloon Technical School from 1961 to 1968, during which (after graduating secondary five) he briefly studied in the Hong Kong Technical College (now Hong Kong Polytechnic University) for a month. Lee received his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Hong Kong.[3]

Lee received professional training from Tsinghua University, University of Oxford, and Harvard University.[4]

Career

Lee joined the civil service in 1974 as an immigration officer, rising through the ranks to become Assistant Director in 1995 and Deputy Director in 1997. He then served as the Director of Immigration from October 1998 to 2002.

In July 2002, Lee was appointed as Commissioner of the ICAC by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, becoming the first Commissioner to have come from the disciplined services.

In August 2003, Lee joined Tung's administration as Secretary for Security, succeeding Regina Ip, who resigned after massive public protests over a proposed national security law. Lee steered the government's response to protests at the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 2005 and to the 2010 Manila hostage crisis. Retiring on 30 June 2012, Lee served in the Hong Kong government for a total of 38 years and became the longest serving Secretary for Security (as of 2022).[5]

After retirement, Lee served as a local deputy to the National People’s Congress between 2013 and 2018, and often made headlines for his controversial remarks on current affairs. In 2016, he described young people involved in the 2016 Mong Kok civil unrest as "beasts" who had lost their conscience.[6]

Personal life

Lee has two children, including his only son,, who has been an artiste for local broadcaster TVB for more than two decades (as of 2022). Glen had previously told the media that the development of his acting career was limited by his father's post in the government, saying that he was always assigned to play "positive" roles.

Death

Lee died in his sleep at his Sha Tin home on 14 August 2022, three days before his 74th birthday. He had earlier required hospitalisation after a fall that resulted in broken ribs.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2022-08-14 . Former security chief Ambrose Lee died in sleep . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518233316/https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/193448/Former-security-chief-Ambrose-Lee-died-in-sleep . 2024-05-18 . 2024-05-18 . . en.
  2. Web site: Wong . Natalie . 2022-08-14 . Ambrose Lee dies in his sleep at age 73, city leader praises former Hong Kong security minister for ‘exemplary contributions’ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518232534/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3188827/former-hong-kong-security-minister-ambrose-lee-dies-his . 2024-05-18 . 2024-05-18 . . en.
  3. Web site: 2024-05-19 . 李少光處長專訪 . Interview of Director Lee Siu-kwong . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190609030407/https://www.kts.edu.hk/others/ktsaa/interview/students/1968%EF%BC%BF02%EF%BC%BF02%EF%BC%BF%E6%9D%8E%E5%B0%91%E5%85%89%E5%85%88%E7%94%9F%EF%BC%881968%E5%B9%B4%E7%95%A2%E6%A5%AD%E6%A0%A1%E5%8F%8B%EF%BC%89%EF%BC%8D%E8%A8%AA%E5%95%8F%E4%BA%8C.pdf . 2019-06-09 . 2024-05-19 . . zh-hk.
  4. Web site: 2003-08-04 . Principal Officials appointed . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216051949/https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200308/04/0804171.htm . 2023-02-16 . 2024-05-19 . www.info.gov.hk.
  5. Web site: Lee . James . 2022-09-13 . Fitting final farewell for Lee . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519011225/https://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news/section/47124320/245475/Fitting-final-farewell-for-Lee . 2024-05-19 . 2024-05-19 . . en.
  6. Web site: Cheung . Tony . 2016-02-15 . Former Hong Kong security chief condemns young ‘beasts’ of Mong Kok riot as losing ‘their sense of reason’ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519002239/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1913243/former-hong-kong-security-chief-condemns-young-beasts-mong . 2024-05-19 . 2024-05-19 . . en.
  7. News: 2022-08-14 . Ex-security minister, NPC delegate Ambrose Lee dies . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220814065811/https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1662344-20220814.htm . 2022-08-14 . 2022-08-14 . RTHK.