First Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
Born in 1937, Tung Chee-hwa was the first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He was elected in 1996 and formally assumed office on 1 July 1997, the day Hong Kong returned to China, and was re-elected in 2002. During his tenure, he led the HKSAR Government in responding to the impact of the Asian financial crisis and in effectively tackling the severe challenge of the SARS epidemic, making foundational contributions to Hong Kong's smooth transition and to the implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle.
After stepping down as Chief Executive, Mr. Tung served as Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) from 2005 to 2023. In 2008 and 2014, he initiated the establishment of the China-United States Exchange Foundation and the Our Hong Kong Foundation, respectively, and has long been committed to promoting international exchanges, enhancing mutual understanding, and advancing social harmony in Hong Kong. In 2019, in recognition of his major historic contributions to the successful practice of "One Country, Two Systems," he was awarded the national honorary title of "Outstanding Contributor to 'One Country, Two Systems'."