Cheuk, 63, who once took up the position of director of the government’s Dialogue Office amid the social unrest, is very likely to come out of retirement to aid Lee’s rumored no.2 official Eric Chan Kwok-ki, according to sources in the political circle.

Chan and Cheuk, one from disciplinary forces and the other from the government’s Administrative Officer grade, are expected to complement each other in Lee’s new cabinet.

The doubts came as the public and critics challenged the impression of “military officers ruling Hong Kong,” given that a number of top posts are taken by officers rising the ranks of disciplinary forces.

According to Lee’s manifesto, he created the new positions of deputy secretaries to enhance the government’s coordination and execution capability.

It is understood that the deputy chief secretary will be responsible to found a district service and care volunteer network throughout the city and addressing Lee’s trial scheme dedicated to 1,000 students to tackle cross-generation property.

Cheuk graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a bachelor of arts degree in 1981. He then joined the police force as an inspector the same year and switched to the field of administrative officer three years later.

From 2007 to 2015, Cheuk took office as the director of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, director of the Labour Department, and director of administration and development of the Department of Justice.

In November 2015, Cheuk was promoted the permanent secretary for innovation and technology. In September 2019, during the social unrest, Cheuk was appointed as the director of the Dialogue Office under the Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office.

Lee, who was the city’s Secretary for Security at that time, officially withdrew the extradition bill in October 2019, and Cheuk left his post in March 2020.