Prominent patriot and poet in family tree of new secretary Yau

The grandfather of Algernon Yau Ying-wah, incoming secretary for commerce and economic development, was a Chinese patriot, educator and poet born in Taiwan.

Yau, 63, is the third grandson of Qiu Fengjia, or Chiu Feng-chia, born in 1864 in Taiwan's Miaoli county, though his ancestral home was Guangdong's Jiaoling county in the all-Hakka Jiaying prefecture.

Qiu went on to receive the highest and final degree in the series of imperial examinations in 1889 during the Qing dynasty. He became a prominent poet and patriot and was an outstanding educator.

And he led a military resistance against Japan in 1885, then later left Taiwan for Guangdong. Qiu became Guangdong representative for the Republic of China provisional presidential election in 1911 and was in Sun Yat-sen's government. He died in 1912 at the age of 48.

What became Feng Chia University at Taichung in central Taiwan was founded by his son Qiu Niantai and others in his memory. The establishment of the university drew more than 20,000 students into the area and gave rise to a leading business circle and led to the setting up of the famous Fengjia night market.

The Taiwan navy also named one of its frigates Feng Jia.

Yau said yesterday that among other work after he takes office will be integration into the Greater Bay Area.

And as he will be heading public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong he hopes staff there cooperate.

Carol Yip Man-kuen, 59, was the first of the newly appointed officials John Lee introduced. Yip will be director of the Chief Executive's Office, with Lee saying she is a rare talent in maintaining relationships.

Previously permanent secretary for security, Yau noted she worked in the government for 35 years.