‘His love for Hong Kong was profound’: Tung Chee-hwa honoured at state funeral
Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top leaders sent condolences from Beijing as Hong Kong bade farewell to the city’s first postcolonial leader, Tung Chee-hwa, at a sombre yet poignant state funeral on Sunday. A report by the official Xinhua News Agency praised Tung, who died on September 8 at the age of 89, as “an outstanding contributor to ‘one country two systems’, a renowned patriot, an…
Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top leaders paid their respects to Hong Kong's first post-colonial leader, Tung Chee-hwa, at a somber state funeral on Sunday. Tung, who passed away at the age of 89 on September 8, was described as an "outstanding contributor to 'one country two systems'" and a "close friend of the Communist Party of China."
He died after falling critically ill, prompting the central authorities to express deep concern for his condition. Xi Jinping and other central leaders instructed local officials to send condolences to Tung's family and expressed their grief in various ways. Tung, a shipping tycoon elected to lead Hong Kong after its 1997 handover, resigned from office in 2005 due to health issues.
He served as a vice-chairman of the CPPCC until 2023. At the state funeral attended by dignitaries from both mainland China and Hong Kong, a portrait of Tung hung surrounded by white orchids symbolizing love and respect. Xi's eulogy praised Tung's role in US-China relations, his efforts to quell 2019 social unrest, and his dedication to national security.
Shi Taifeng, a Politburo member, highlighted Tung's unwavering patriotism and profound love for Hong Kong. The eulogy emphasized Tung's broad vision and strong stance, calling on the public to uphold the "one country, two systems" principle for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
