Andrew Cheung to become next chief justice

Andrew Cheung to become next chief justice

The Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced on Tuesday that judge Andrew Cheung will become the city's next chief justice when Geoffrey Ma retires next year.



Ma earlier announced that he would step down when he turns 65 on January 11.



Speaking to reporters before the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lam described Cheung as an outstanding and capable leader.



“Justice Cheung is respected in the legal sector. He has rich experience in the operation of the judiciary,” she said.



Lam said the appointment is important to Hong Kong’s judiciary, adding that she believes lawmakers will not oppose the move.



However, she said she was very concerned as the appointment will need to be vetted by Legco's house committee which is yet to choose a chairman since reconvening last October following the summer break.



The CE appealed to lawmakers to approve Cheung's appointment before the next summer recess in July, to ensure a smooth handover.



“I hope the Legco’s house committee can choose a chairman and deal with the resolution as soon as possible. In particular, the lawmaker who’s presiding over the housing committee meetings is Dennis Kwok, who’s a barrister himself. I think he knows very well the importance of the rule of law in Hong Kong. He should be willing to approve the appointment as soon as possible,” she said.



Cheung was appointed as a permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal in October 2018.



A graduate of the University of Hong Kong and Harvard Law School, he is a specialist in judicial reviews and has ruled in a number of high-profile cases relating to constitutional and human rights.