Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong's archetypal person aft the metropolis returned to Chinese rule, has died astatine the property of 89.
The erstwhile shipping scion took implicit the reins from the past British Governor Chris Patten successful July 1997 erstwhile the UK handed Hong Kong backmost to China, ending much than 150 years of British control.
Tung's rocky tenure was marked by the Asian Financial Crisis, 2 large epidemics, and historical protests which attracted disapproval of his administration. He yet resigned successful 2005.
Tung died connected Tuesday nighttime surrounded by loved ones, section media reported. His bureau described him arsenic a antheral "devoted to his state and its people".
"His noble quality and integrity volition unrecorded connected everlastingly successful our hearts," it said successful a statement.
Born successful Shanghai successful 1937, Tung graduated with a mechanical engineering grade from Liverpool University successful the UK earlier moving to the US, wherever helium worked astatine General Electric for astir a decade.
In 1969, helium moved to Hong Kong and worked successful his father's shipping conglomerate, the Orient Overseas, yet taking implicit the reins successful 1979.
His governmental vocation began successful 1992 erstwhile helium was appointed a subordinate of Patten's enforcement council.
Despite having small governmental experience, Tung was believed to beryllium handpicked by Beijing to pb Hong Kong aft the handover. He was seen arsenic a loyalist, particularly aft China's state-run banks helped rescue his household concern during a planetary slump successful the mid-1980s.
During a reception astatine the Great Hall of the People successful January 1996, China's then-president Jiang Zemin walked crossed a packed country to shingle Tung's hands – a wide photographed motion that astatine the clip famously signalled Beijing's backing of Tung for the apical job.
English (US)·