Former Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa Dies at 89; Memorial Service Held in Hong Kong
Tung Chee-hwa, the first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and former Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, passed away on September 8, 2026. A public memorial service was held on September 20, attended by senior central and HKSAR officials.
Tung Chee-hwa, the first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and a former Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), died of illness in Hong Kong at 9:57 p.m. on September 8, 2026. He was 89 years old.
A public memorial service for Tung was held at 9:00 a.m. on September 20 at a funeral home in Hong Kong. Shi Taifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, served as the chairman of the funeral committee and delivered the eulogy. Leung Chun-ying, another Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, served as vice chairman of the funeral committee and presided over the ceremony.
Senior officials who attended the memorial included Wang Dongfeng, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee; Xia Baolong, Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee; and John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the HKSAR. Leaders including Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, Han Zheng, and Hu Jintao expressed condolences and extended sympathies to Tung’s family through various forms.
Born in Shanghai in May 1937 with ancestral roots in Zhoushan, Zhejiang, Tung moved to Hong Kong in 1947. He studied in the United Kingdom starting in 1954 and graduated from Liverpool University in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree in maritime engineering. After returning to business operations in Hong Kong in 1969, he served as chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association from 1976 to 1977 and became chairman of Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) in 1979.
Tung’s political career advanced significantly in the lead-up to the handover of sovereignty. He was appointed as a member of the Basic Law Consultative Committee in 1985, a Hong Kong Affairs Advisor in 1992, and Deputy Chairman of the Preparatory Committee in 1995. He assumed office as the first Chief Executive of the HKSAR in July 1997 and was re-elected for a second term in July 2002. Following his tenure as Chief Executive, he served as Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee for its 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th terms.
During his leadership, Tung guided Hong Kong through the Asian Financial Crisis, maintaining the linked exchange rate system. His administration oversaw the completion and opening of the new international airport in Hong Kong. He also supported the signing of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) between mainland China and Hong Kong and implemented policies such as the Mandatory Provident Fund scheme and mother-tongue teaching.
In recognition of his contributions, Tung was awarded the national honorary title of "Outstanding Contributor to 'One Country, Two Systems'" and the Grand Bauhinia Medal in Hong Kong. He was also known for founding several organizations, including serving as the founding chairman of the China-US Exchange Foundation and the Our Hong Kong Foundation. In 2020, following the social unrest in 2019, he co-founded the Build Hong Kong Coalition, taking on the role of joint convenor to promote stability and support the government in upholding law and order.