Beijing has appointed former Permanent Secretary for the Environment Janice Tse Siu-wa as Hong Kong’s constitutional and mainland affairs minister, according to a state media report.

The appointment follows the resignation of Erick Tsang Kwok-wai in January, who cited poor health, including elevated prostate cancer markers in his blood, as the reason for stepping down.

State news agency Xinhua reported on Monday that the decision on Tse was made by the State Council on Monday upon her nomination by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.

Tse joined the Government in June 1987. She served in the executive officer and labour officer grades before joining the administrative service in June 1988, rising to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2023.

She served in various departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration and the former Constitutional Affairs Branch. She was director of Home Affairs in 2016.

She was appointed permanent secretary for the environment in 2022 and started her pre-retirement leave in January 2025.