Xu Yingwei

Caspar Tsui Ying‑wai (born 2 September 1977) is a Hong Kong politician and former member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB). He served as Secretary for Home Affairs from April 2020 to February 2022 and as Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare from August 2017 to April 2020. At age 43, he was one of Hong Kong’s youngest bureau‑level officials.

In January 2022, Tsui resigned after controversy over attending a large birthday party during COVID restrictions. His resignation was formalized by the State Council on 24 February 2022, ending five years as a principal official. He has since moved into business and media roles.

Tsui has written opinion columns for Ming Pao and in February 2023 co‑hosted TVB’s talk show "Hong Kong Banquet". On 3 April 2023, he became Secretary‑General of the Hong Kong Hotel Owners Association. On 23 June 2023 he was elected an independent director of the Hong Kong Football Association for a four‑year term.

He is notable as one of the few Hong Kong politicians never to have acted in TVB or ATV dramas.

Biography

Tsui earned a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Economics, Public Policy & Administration) from the University of Ottawa and an MBA from the University of Manchester. Before government service he worked in banking.

From 2008 to 2012 and 2012 to 2017 he served as Political Assistant to the Secretary for Home Affairs. He briefly tendered his resignation in February 2015 but ultimately remained in post until August 2017.

In August 2017, at age 39, he was appointed Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare.

On 22 April 2020, the State Council appointed him Secretary for Home Affairs, succeeding Lau Kong‑wah. He was the first former Political Assistant to be elevated to bureau chief.

Major initiatives

• **District Council Oath Requirement (2021)** – Oversaw introduction of oath‑taking requirement; government signaled that councillors who failed the oath might have to repay salary and allowances, leading to mass resignations.
• **Jordan & Yau Ma Tei lockdown (Jan 2021)** – Coordinated first “restriction testing” lockdown in Hong Kong, testing over 7,000 residents and detecting 13 cases; set a precedent for future compulsory testing operations.
• **Arts & Culture Promotion** – Championed Hong Kong as a cultural hub under the 14th Five‑Year Plan, advocating expansion of art auctions and creative industries.
• **Tokyo Olympics Broadcast Rights (Jul 2021)** – For the first time the government purchased Olympic broadcast rights to ensure free coverage for all residents during pandemic disruptions.
• **Youth Development** – Emphasized youth opportunities in the Greater Bay Area and advanced policies on youth housing and programs.

Controversies

• **2014 Anti‑Occupy signature incident** – Signed a petition against the Occupy movement as a private individual, drawing criticism for breaking the Civil Servants’ Code. He defended his actions as non‑conflicting with official duties.
• **Labour and Welfare press conference (Aug 2017)** – Struggled to answer questions on minimum wage and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance shortly after taking office, prompting public skepticism.
• **COVID rule breach and resignation (Jan 2022)** – Attended a birthday party for NPC deputy Gary Fung in breach of social gathering limits. He self‑quarantined, apologized publicly, and subsequently resigned on 31 Jan 2022.

Post‑government career

• **Hotel Owners Association** – Secretary‑General since 3 Apr 2023, addressing staffing shortages and labor issues in the hospitality sector.
• **Ming Pao columnist & TV host** – Wrote for Ming Pao and hosted TV and radio programs from Sept 2022.
• **HKFA director** – Elected 27 Jun 2023 as a director (independent) for a four‑year term, overseeing marketing initiatives.
• **DAB membership** – Applied to leave the DAB on 26 Aug 2024.

Media appearances

• **2023 Hong Kong Banquet** (TVB) – Guest host
• **2023 Battle of Home** (TVB) – Co‑host with Jasper Tsang, Kevin Cheung, etc.

External links

• Caspar Tsui on Facebook