Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang said Thursday that new Secretary for Justice Wong Yan-lung will be competent for his post.

Tsang made the remark at a press conference on Thursday that the State Council appointed Wong Yan-lung as the new Secretary for Justice with effect from Thursday.

Tsang believed that Wong, with his patriotism, gentle and upright disposition as well as professional expertise and reputation, would competently fulfill the role of Secretary for Justice.

The Chief Executive said, "I am very much impressed by his commitment to the rule of law, to the legal profession and to Hong Kong."

"The rule of law is one of the pillars of Hong Kong's prosperity. It is imperative for us to protect this value. I look forward to working with Wong to uphold the rule of law during my term of office."

Wong said that he was greatly honored to assume office as the Secretary for Justice. As head of the department, he would make every possible effort to lead his staff members to fairly and effectively implement the department's duties.

He said he would strengthen contacts with the Chinese mainland departments concerned so as to better understand each other for the implementation of the principle of "One Country, Two Systems."

Wong Yan-lung is 41 years old. Before his present appointment as the Secretary for Justice, he was a lawyer in private practice. He became Deputy High Court Judge of the Court of First Instance in 2003 and Chairman of the Special Committee on Legal Education of the Hong Kong Bar Association from 2003 to 2005.

Source: Xinhua