In accordance with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China, the State Council decided to appoint Tang Ping-keung as Commissioner of Police, under the nomination and recommendation of the chief executive of the HKSAR, Carrie Lam, thus removing Lo Wai-chung from the same position. The decision was announced on Tuesday morning.

At a ceremony at the Hong Kong police academy on Saturday, Lo Wai-chung encouraged students to be confident in meeting the challenges posed by threats to public safety and order.

Tang Ping-keung will take command of the police forces on Tuesday, becoming the seventh police chief after the return of Hong Kong to China.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Tang said he would crack down on violence and restore social order as soon as possible.

"I hope in the coming days I can first protect my colleagues and support them to continue enforcing the law. I also hope that people can stop using violence and that society will continue to support our work so that public security in Hong Kong can be restored as soon as possible," he noted.

The 54-year-old joined the Hong Kong police force in 1987 and holds two master's degrees in business administration and international security and strategy. During his time in the force, he gained extensive experience in criminal investigation, international liaison, and operational command.