Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong’s first chief executive and a former vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, died on Tuesday, 8 September, Star Headline and i-CABLE News reported.
Tam Yiu-chung, who served on Tung’s first Executive Council, said the task was especially difficult because nobody had experience of implementing “one country, two systems”. The first chief executive had to be responsible both to Hong Kong and to the country, Tam said, while taking the first steps in a system created to address the territory’s handover and its relationship with the mainland.
Tam also praised Tung’s deep patriotic commitment and broad outlook, saying he would step forward at critical moments to lead Hong Kong through difficult events. These were Tam’s assessments of a former colleague, offered in a radio discussion about Tung’s leadership.
Tam recalled that their close working relationship began shortly before the handover, when he was invited to join the first Executive Council formed by Tung. He said they subsequently had an opportunity to meet every week.
Former secretary for justice Elsie Leung and Lo Fan-chiu, who headed the Office of the Chief Executive-elect before the handover, described Tung as a pioneering figure in Hong Kong’s implementation of “one country, two systems”. They recalled substantial political friction and what they regarded as unfair criticism during his tenure, while saying he did not turn political disagreements into personal hostility.
Leung also recalled how discussions with Tung helped persuade her to join the government. She said she had not been mentally prepared to become the first secretary for justice: public office meant answering to six million citizens and could not satisfy everyone, leaving her to wonder whether someone more capable should take the role.
Her conversations with Tung before the handover, including discussions about legal issues, eventually persuaded her to accept the appointment, she said.