Hong Kong political leaders and grandees pay tribute to ‘visionary’ leader Tung Chee-hwa

Hong Kong's current leader, John Lee, has joined a long list of senior politicians and local dignitaries in paying tribute to Tung Chee-hwa, the city's first leader after its 1997 return to China. Lee praised Tung for guiding Hong Kong through the 1997 Asian financial crisis and overcoming various challenges during his almost eight-year tenure as chief executive, from 1997 to 2005.

Tung's successor, Donald Tsang, also paid tribute to the visionary leader, describing him as having an "approachable, refined manner, as well as his broad mind and visionary outlook." Tsang noted that Tung remained unshaken by challenges, including the financial crisis and the 2003 SARS outbreak that claimed nearly 300 lives in Hong Kong.

Leung Chun-ying, Tung's predecessor, remembered the former chief executive for his "elegant smile, indomitable perseverance, long-term view of governance, and profound love for the nation and Hong Kong." He emphasized Tung's strong relationship with Beijing and his benevolent and kind nature.

Carrie Lam, who served as chief executive from 2017 to 2022, highlighted Tung's role in ushering Hong Kong into a new era under the "One Country, Two Systems" framework. Other notable figures, including Tung's former security secretary Regina Ip, Chief Justice Andrew Cheung, Chief Secretary Eric Chan, Financial Secretary Paul Chan, and Legislative Council President Starry Lee, also expressed their admiration for Tung and their grief over his passing.

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency hailed Tung as a "renowned patriot" and "close friend of the Communist Party of China."