Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong’s first chief executive, honoured with state funeral

Hong Kong is bidding farewell to its first post-colonial chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, on Sunday at a state funeral – only the third time a Hongkonger has received such an honour since the 1997 handover.

Tung, who died at the age of 89 on September 8, led Hong Kong through a series of ups and downs, including the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2003 Sars outbreak and the V-shaped economic recovery that followed.

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Vigil held for Hong Kong’s first chief executive Tung Chee-wah

Sunday’s funeral follows a vigil held the previous day at the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, which drew dozens of political and business heavyweights paying their respects to the late leader.

The state funeral was arranged by an 87-member committee chaired by Shi Taifeng, top vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and a member of the Communist Party Politburo.

Members of the public can pay their respects by signing condolence books at three community halls until noon on Sunday.