Hong Kong's first leader Tung Chee-hwa remembered for foresight in tech and mainland engagement

Hong Kong’s first leader Tung Chee-hwa, who died last week, has been remembered by former colleagues for his foresight in developing technology and actively engaging with mainland China to boost the city’s economic development during his tenure.

Political heavyweights praised the former chief executive for being able to foresee developmental trends before others could, citing Tung’s decisions to establish Cyberport and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park.

“He proposed developing Cyberport very early on, allocating land specifically to attract innovation and technology talent. This is exactly what we are doing now,” Tam Yiu-chung, who was a member of Hong Kong’s top decision-making body Executive Council during Tung’s tenure, told a radio show on Sunday.

Tam, formerly Hong Kong’s sole deputy to China’s top legislature the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, also credited Tung with foreseeing the need to engage the mainland closely to support the local economy, at a time when many were focusing solely on Hong Kong’s own development at the time.

Examples cited by Tam included Tung’s support for the Individual Visit Scheme for mainland residents and the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement between the two sides.

“Both of these were proposed by Tung,” said Tam, now a consultant to the semi-official Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies think tank. “And they offered an instant relief to Hong Kong economy [after the Sars pandemic].