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Ng Kang-chung

Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor
Age: 59
Education: Obtained a sociology degree from the University of Hong Kong
Number of years in civil service: 36 years
Career highlights:
2000 to 2003: Director of social welfare
2004-2006: Director-general of economic and trade affairs office in London, United Kingdom

2006-2007: Permanent secretary for home affairs
2007-2012: Secretary for development
2012-2017: Chief secretary
December 2016: Announced a deal with Beijing to build Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District.
January 2017: Resigned as chief secretary and declared candidacy for chief executive election


Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee
Age: 66
Education: Obtained a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Glasgow
Number of years in civil service: 28 years
Career highlights:
1996-1998: Director of immigration
1998-2003: Secretary for security

2003: Resigned as security secretary after half a million people protested in streets against a government plan to implement a national security law
2006: Set up Savantas Policy Institute after returning to Hong Kong from studies at Stanford University
2008-present: Legislative Council member
2011: Launched pro-establishment New People’s Party
December 2016: Declared candidacy for chief executive election


John Tsang Chun-wah
Age: 65
Education: Obtained a master’s degree in bilingual education from Boston College and a master’s in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government
Number of years in civil service: 34 years
Career highlights:
1987-1992: Administrative assistant to Financial Secretary Sir Piers Jacobs

1995-1997: Private secretary to Governor Chris Patten
1999: Commissioner of customs and excise
1999-2001: Commissioner of customs and excise
2001-2002: Secretary for planning and lands
2003-2006: Secretary for commerce, industry and technology; chair of World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in 2005
2007-2017: Financial secretary
January 19, 2017: Declared his candidacy for chief executive election
Woo Kwok-hing
Age: 71
Education: Obtained a master’s of laws from University College London
Number of years in judiciary: 24 years
Career highlights:
1987: Queen’s Counsel

1993-2006: chairman of Electoral Affairs Commission
2006-2012: commissioner on interception of communications and surveillance
December 2016: declared candidacy for chief executive election


Now more than ever, the 180 years of Hong Kong government records need protection

Hong Kong needs a mainland-appointed provincial leader, to boost integration and revive the flagging economy

Sensible political reforms the Hong Kong government can offer for the 2020 Legco election and beyond

Hong Kong protests: Carrie Lam has failed to govern and should resign

Chief executive election 2017

Chief executive election: biographies of the four candidates bidding to lead Hong Kong

Clockwise from top left: Carrie Lam, John Tsang, Woo Kwok-hing and Regina Ip. Photos: David Wong, Dickson Lee, Xiaomei Chen and Jonathan Wong

Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee attends a Radio programme at Commercial Radio. 16DEC16 SCMP / Jonathan Wong

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, meets the press at CGO. Tsang resigns but stops short of confirming his bid for the Chief Executive post. 12DEC16 SCMP/Dickson Lee

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor speaks to media after meeting on medical reform in Tamar. 06JUL16 SCMP/ David Wong

Woo Kwok-hing attends a radio program at Commercial Radio. Woo will participate in the 2017 Hong Kong's Chief Executive Election. 15DEC16 SCMP/ Xiaomei Chen

News

Hong Kong

Politics

What are the backgrounds of the four main contenders bidding to win the election in March?


Carrie Lam

John Tsang

Woo Kwok-hing

Regina Ip