Tung Chee-hwa hailed as visionary leader who helped build US-China relations
US consulate, the George H.W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations and former city leader Donald Tsang highlight his pivotal diplomatic legacy
Hong Kong’s first chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, who died on Tuesday, has been lauded as “one of the greatest movers in China-US relations”, with a foundation established by Neil Bush, a former American president’s son, praising Tung’s “profound contributions” to deepening ties between the two nations.
The US consulate and former city leader Donald Tsang Yam-kuen also praised Tung’s work in strengthening ties between the United States and Hong Kong, paving the way for deeper business links and high-level dialogue in the early years following the 1997 handover.
In response to the South China Morning Post’s queries, the George H.W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations on Wednesday issued a statement extending sincere condolences over Tung’s death and commending his “decades of visionary leadership” in Sino-US relations.
The statement highlighted Tung’s warmth, graciousness, magnanimity, optimism, boundless energy and indefatigable spirit.