Andy Tsang

Andy Tsang Wai-hung GBS PSDM PMSM JP (Chinese: 曾偉雄) is the current Deputy Director of the National Narcotics Control Commission of the Ministry of Public Security of China. He was former Commissioner of the Hong Kong Police Force until 4 May 2015.[1] In November 2019, he missed out a top posting with the United Nations despite the strong support from the People's Republic of China.[2]

Andy Tsang Wai-hung

GBS PSDM PMSM JP
曾偉雄
Commissioner of Police
In office
11 January 2011 – 4 May 2015
Preceded byTang King-shing
Succeeded byStephen Lo
Personal details
Born (1958-05-05) 5 May 1958
Hong Kong
Alma materHarvard Business School (MBA)
Nickname(s)The Vulture
In this Chinese name, the family name is Tsang.

Career

Tsang joined the Hong Kong Police Force in 1978 as a Probationary Inspector. From 1993 to 1995, he was seconded to the Metropolitan Police Service in London as a Superintendent. He was promoted to Senior Superintendent (Crime – New Territories North Headquarters) in 1996 and to District Commander (Wan Chai) in 1998 with the rank of Chief Superintendent. He was subsequently appointed head of the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau.

In 2003, Tsang was promoted to Assistant Commissioner (Information Systems Wing) in 2003. In February 2005, he was promoted to Senior Assistant Commissioner (Director of Personnel and Training). He was subsequently appointed Director of Operations. He was promoted to Deputy Commissioner (Management) in January 2008 and appointed Deputy Commissioner (Operations) in March 2010.

In January 2011, the Hong Kong government announced that Tsang was to succeed Tang King-shing as Commissioner of Police.[3][4]

Tsang retired on 4 May 2015, and was replaced by Stephen Lo Wai-chung, promoted from deputy commissioner in charge of force management.[1]

Tsang has been nominated by the Government of the People's Republic of China to fill in the position of Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Director-General of the United Nations Office in Vienna (UNOV) in June 2019, upon Yury Fedotov's retirement after more than 9 years service. If he is appointed, Tsang will become the second person from Hong Kong ever leading a major United Nations component.

Controversy

Fantasy apology

Soon after he became commissioner, during the 2011 anti-budget demonstration, an 8-year-old boy was pepper-sprayed in the eye, according to police, accidentally. Under pressure to make an apology on behalf of the police force, Tsang declined, saying any apology is something of a fantasy (天方夜譚).[5]

818 incident

On 23 August 2011, there were calls for Andy Tsang to resign following the controversy regarding the visit of Vice Premier Li Keqiang in August 2011 during which student protesters were prevented from making themselves heard in Li's vicinity and detained.[6]

Strong police forces against protests

Known to be a hard-liner, Tsang's unpopularity is borne out by his nickname, "The Vulture".[7] Under Tsang, police tactics and handling have come under increased criticism for heavy-handedness; incidents of police harassment of protesters have increased.[8] In particular, since the start of the Umbrella Revolution, police methods and tactics have led to accusations that it has been turned into a political tool by the government, and that the police impartiality is no more; thus the governance system is seeing an erosion of the rule of law in favour of "rule by law", where the police are a mechanism for oppression of citizens.[9][10][11][12] Tsang was conspicuously absent following the eruption of student protests and the start of the Umbrella Revolution where many questions were raised with regard to the Hong Kong Police Force using excessive force on protesters. This prolonged absence prompted speculation that he was gravely ill. Three weeks later, on 18 October 2014, Tsang dispelled concerns that he was deceased after appearing in front of the press to comment on the Occupy Central development. Fung Wai-wah, president of the Professional Teachers' Union, remarked that "the police have made themselves enemy of the people", literally overnight.[9]

References
  1. "Senior appointments in the Hong Kong Police Force". info.gov. 5 May 2015.
  2. "Former Hong Kong top cop Andy Tsang misses out on plum UN posting". South China Morning Post. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  3. "Mr Tsang Wai-hung, PDSM, Commissioner of Police". Government of Hong Kong. January 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  4. Chong, Dennis (7 January 2011). "New show of force". The Standard. Archived from the original on 8 January 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  5. "新報網站". Hkdailynews.com.hk. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  6. Wong, Natalie (23 August 2011). "Cops to act on Li security gripes". The Standard. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  7. Te-Ping Chen, Lorraine Luk and Prudence Ho (4 October 2014). "Hong Kong Police's Use of Tear Gas During Protests Hurts Reputation of 'Asia's Finest'". The Wall Street Journal.
  8. "Hong Kong police's harassment of protesters tarnishes good name of Asia's Finest, South China Morning Post.
  9. "Hong Kong: Massive anti-government protests after attempted police crackdown". chinaworker.info. 1 October 2014.
  10. Dapiran, Antony (15 Dec 2014). "Mixed legacy for Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement", Business Spectator.
  11. "Hong Kong police charge leaves protesters injured". Business Insider. 18 October 2014.
  12. "Hong Kong police to remove protesters from streets after court order". Los Angeles Times. 9 December 2014.
Police appointments
Preceded by
Tang King Shing		 Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong
2011–2015		 Succeeded by
Stephen Lo

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