Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong's first chief executive, was recently recognized for his "deep belief in dialogue" and his efforts to deepen understanding between China and the United States. The China Institute of America presented him with their Centennial Award at an event commemorating the institution's 100th anniversary in New York. Tung, who served from 1997 to 2005, was honored alongside the families of former US presidents Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush, and the Rockefeller family. His son, Andy Tung Lieh-cheung, accepted the award on his behalf, highlighting his father's consistent work to forge cooperation between the two nations despite fundamental differences.
Tung's tenure as Chief Executive was notably challenging. He took office on July 1, 1997, just as Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty, and immediately faced the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98. During this period, he suspended government land sales and intervened in the stock market to mitigate the crisis's impact. His administration also struggled with plummeting property prices, job losses, and public criticism regarding economic policies, including the controversial 85,000 housing flats pledge that became unfeasible.
Further difficulties arose in his second term, which began in 2002. He appointed a new ministerial team, which critics viewed as an attempt to consolidate power. His popularity significantly declined, reaching 47% satisfaction by August 2002. A major setback was his push for national security legislation under Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law, which sparked widespread protests. The government's handling of the SARS epidemic in 2003 also drew criticism, culminating in a protest of an estimated 500,000 people on July 1, 2003, demanding his resignation. He eventually resigned on March 10, 2005, citing "health problems," and was subsequently appointed Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. In 2008, he founded the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF) to continue fostering ties between the two countries.
