Hong Kong constitutional and mainland affairs minister Erick Tsang resigns, reveals he has cancer
Beijing made the announcement on Tuesday (Jan 27), ending days of speculation about the departure of the 62-year-old from the cabinet.
Erick Tsang Kwok-wai (pictured centre) watches the counting of ballot boxes in Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong on Dec 7, 2025. (Photo: AFP/Leung Man Hei)
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Erick Tsang Kwok-wai has resigned as Hong Kong’s secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, saying he is suffering from prostate cancer and cannot cope with the heavy workload.
State news agency Xinhua first reported the State Council’s decision to remove Tsang from his post on Tuesday morning (Jan 27), ending days of speculation over the 62-year-old’s departure from the cabinet.
Meeting the press later with Tsang, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said he had decided to recommend the personnel change to Beijing after a thorough discussion with the outgoing minister, who had earlier resigned for health reasons.
But Lee also dismissed “inaccurate” rumours of a further cabinet reshuffle before his term ends next June, stressing that all principal officials had fulfilled their duties and shared his philosophy.
He added that he would not comment further on changes in his team until the investigation into the Tai Po fire was completed.
Lee said Tsang had served the government for nearly four decades and thanked him for his contributions to coordinating multiple elections in recent years and advancing the city’s integration into the Greater Bay Area.
“Political officials’ jobs are very demanding; not only is the workload heavy, but the pressure is also high. I can understand that Erick, given his current health condition, would like to take a rest,” Lee said.
“Looking ahead, there are many important tasks to do. Had Erick’s condition been manageable, I really would have liked him to continue.”
Lee said Clement Woo Kin-man, undersecretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, would act in the post while he sought a replacement.
Asked how he would ensure the bureau ran smoothly given that the posts of both the permanent secretary and the political assistant to the minister were currently vacant, Lee said he would staff it sufficiently “with the right calibre of colleagues”.
Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said the government had identified a suitable candidate to serve as permanent secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, adding an announcement could be expected in the coming days.
Tsang said the “high intensity of work” had worsened his health, revealing that he had prostate cancer.
He explained that his cancer marker levels had continued to rise and that his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which measures a blood protein used to screen for prostate conditions, consistently showed levels above 11 ng/ml.
Tsang said he had begun taking medication and undergoing check-ups, including a prostate biopsy, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound, but the efforts had not improved his condition.
“I have discussed this with my family members and doctors and believe the best way to handle the situation is to put aside work and minimise stress while taking care of my body,” he said.
“I started thinking about (my future) after completing the Legislative Council election mission and decided to tender my resignation to the chief executive.”
This marks the second time in just over a year that Lee has changed the line-up of his cabinet. In December 2024, he replaced two members to make way for new faces.
Tsang joined the government as an assistant immigration officer in 1987 and rose through the ranks to become Director of Immigration in 2016.
He took the helm of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau in 2020, after his predecessor, Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, was named secretary for the civil service.
Tsang oversaw last year’s Legco election, held on the heels of the Tai Po fire. It recorded a turnout of 31.9 per cent despite the government’s all-out efforts to boost participation through extended voting hours and additional polling stations.
The rate was slightly higher than the record low of 30.2 per cent in 2021, the first poll under Beijing’s “patriots-only” electoral overhaul.
Another highlight during his tenure was the same-sex partnerships bill, which lawmakers voted down despite a landmark 2023 court ruling and years of LGBTQ rights activism.
The bill was introduced only last July, less than four months before the court’s October 27 deadline for drafting laws defining the “core rights” of same-sex couples.
Tsang expressed disappointment with the result but said the government would not seek to extend the deadline.
Lee replaced tourism and transport ministers, Kevin Yeung Yun-hung and Lam Sai-hung, with Rosanna Law Shuk-pui and Mable Chan, respectively, in December 2024.
The city leader said the decision was made after a period of observation, without giving further details about the mistakes the two sacked ministers had made.
This article was first published on SCMP.
