John Lee Ka-chiu was born in Hong Kong in 1957, grew up in So Uk Estate in Sham Shui Po and studied at Wah Yan College, Kowloon before joining the Royal Hong Kong Police as a probationary inspector in 1977. He long served in crime-investigation and security posts, including the Criminal Intelligence Bureau, the West Kowloon regional crime unit, the Narcotics Bureau and the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau, and rose to Assistant Commissioner (Crime) and Director of Crime and Security. Promoted to chief superintendent in 1997, he served as Assistant Commissioner in 2003, Senior Assistant Commissioner in 2007 and Deputy Commissioner (Management) from 2010. Leaving the force in 2012 after 35 years, he became Under Secretary for Security and from June 2017 Secretary for Security, the first police officer to hold that post after the handover. As Secretary for Security in 2019 he handled the extradition bill controversy. In June 2021 he became Chief Secretary, the first from the disciplined services, and chaired the new Candidate Eligibility Review Committee. He resigned in April 2022 to stand for Chief Executive, was elected on 8 May with 1,416 votes and took office on 1 July as the sixth Chief Executive and chairman of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security. He holds a master's degree in public policy and management from Charles Sturt University in Australia. His term has seen the full resumption of quarantine-free travel with the mainland in 2023, the passage of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in March 2024 and the opening of Kai Tak Sports Park in 2025. Much of his police career was in criminal investigation, including the West Kowloon regional crime unit, where he handled many serious cases, and he was awarded the Hong Kong Police Medal for Distinguished Service and the Chief Executive's Commendation for Public Service. As Secretary for Security he was the main official promoting the 2019 extradition bill. After taking office he made reopening the border his priority, with quarantine-free travel to the mainland fully restored in February 2023, and his term completed the local legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law. He came from a working-class family, the third child of a policeman, and boarded at Wah Yan College, Kowloon in his youth.
John Lee's path from the police force to principal official reflects how disciplined-services staff advanced into the decision-making layer after the handover. His term oversaw the passage of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and the full resumption of travel with the mainland. As the first Chief Executive to come from the disciplined services, his governing style and appointments have had a lasting effect on Hong Kong's political scene.
Achievements
- 2017 · Was appointed Secretary for Security, the first police officer to hold the post after the handover.
- 2021 · Was appointed Chief Secretary, the first to come from the disciplined services.
- 2022 · Was elected the sixth Chief Executive with 1,416 votes and took office on 1 July.