Caspar Tsui
Caspar Tsui Ying-wai | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 2, 1977 Hong Kong |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, government official |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Known for | Secretary for Home Affairs (2020–2022) |
Caspar Tsui Ying-wai (; born 2 September 1977) is a Hong Kong political figure and government official affiliated with the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB). He held the position of Secretary for Home Affairs from 2020 until 2022.
Previously, Tsui contributed as a columnist to Ming Pao's opinion pages. In February 2023, he appeared as a guest host on the television show "Table For Three And More." Since April 3, 2023, he has been serving as the Executive Director of The Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners Limited.
On June 23, 2023, Tsui was chosen as a Non-Club-Linked Director of The Football Association of Hong Kong China, with his term set to conclude in 2027.
Early life
Tsui earned a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree from the University of Ottawa and an MBA from the University of Manchester. His professional background includes roles in banking institutions such as HSBC Canada, Bank of Montreal, Merrill Lynch, and American Express Bank. Later, he worked as an investment services manager at Hang Seng Bank. Tsui entered the political arena in 2006 by joining the DAB, Hong Kong’s largest pro-Beijing party, and held the position of vice-chairman for its youth wing, Young DAB, between 2007 and 2008.
Political career
In 2008, after relinquishing his Canadian citizenship, Tsui began his government career as Political Assistant to the Secretary for Home Affairs.
He was appointed Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare in 2017. That year, he notably deferred a query regarding Hong Kong’s minimum wage to then-Secretary Law Chi-kwong.
Tsui was promoted to Secretary for Home Affairs in April 2020, succeeding Lau Kong-wah while maintaining his membership in the DAB. At age 43, he became the youngest cabinet minister and marked the first advancement from political assistant to cabinet member since the system began.
An insider within the government described him as a "hardworking" participant in Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s reform initiatives, particularly focusing on sports and cultural development policies.
In 2020, Legislative Council member Alice Mak criticized Tsui for sharing an online post depicting himself eating sweet soup amid a deadly fire incident; Tsui responded by asserting that multitasking did not constitute a conflict.
By December 2020, Tsui emphasized that freedom of speech in Hong Kong is not without limits, highlighting that expression entails responsibilities and may be subject to restrictions to safeguard rights, national security, public order, or public health.
In April 2021, Tsui conducted briefings with representatives from sports and cultural sectors concerning NPCSC regulations mandating that "patriots" serve in government roles and sought their full endorsement.
That same year saw the introduction of new oath-taking requirements for District Council members. Tsui attended initial oath ceremonies and faced accusations from opposition figures alleging that he employed "intimidation tactics" to pressure over 200 opposition councillors into resigning early rather than risk disqualification. By October 2021, a total of 33 councillors had been disqualified under these rules.
According to reports by the South China Morning Post, rumors originating from unnamed government sources suggested that disqualified councillors would be required to repay all salaries and allowances received since assuming office. Several government insiders indicated that despite awareness of the weak legal grounds for such reimbursement claims, Tsui and his team did not dispel these rumors.
Birthday party controversy
On 5 January 2022, Chief Executive Carrie Lam introduced new limitations on social gatherings in response to the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks. The next day, it was disclosed that Tsui had attended a birthday celebration organized by Witman Hung, which included 222 guests. Following the event, at least one individual tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in mandatory quarantine for all attendees.
By 25 January, reports surfaced that Carrie Lam intended to remove Tsui from his position due to the incident but encountered opposition from pro-establishment figures, notably members of Tsui's political group, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB). Prominent allies in this resistance were Ip Kwok-Him and Tam Yiu-chung.
Tsui stepped down from his role on 31 January. It was revealed that he attended the gathering just hours after participating in a meeting concerning stricter social-distancing measures and failed to use the required "LeaveHomeSafe" application upon entry. The Chinese Government formally approved his resignation on 24 February.
Personal life
Tsui is married and, together with his spouse, owns a residence at Parc Oasis in Kowloon Tong. Around late 2021, they sold another property unit along with two parking spaces, realizing a total gain of HK$6.475 million.