Speaker > Biography

Biography of Tung Chee Hwa

Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, People’s Republic of China. Prior to the appointment, Mr Tung served as Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“HKSAR”), People's Republic of China from July 1997 to March 2005.

Born in Shanghai, Mr Tung studied in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, and graduated from the University of Liverpool in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He was conferred the Honorary Doctor of Law, University of Liverpool and Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Mr Tung was head of the family business, and the Chairman of Orient Overseas (International) Limited, a listed company in Hong Kong, from 1979-1996.

On December 11, 1996 Mr Tung won by a wide margin in the first election for the post of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He assumed office on July 1, 1997 for a five-year term, and was elected uncontested for a second term which began on July 1, 2002.

Prior to 1997, Mr Tung served in numerous public and advisory positions, including:

• Member, Executive Council of Hong Kong (1992 - 1996)
• Honorary Consul of Monaco in Hong Kong (1982 - 1996)
• Member of the Eighth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (1993 - 1996)
• Chairman, Hong Kong/United States Economic Co-operation Committee (1993 - 1996)
• Chairman, Council of the City University of Hong Kong (1995-1996)
• Member, Board of Overseers of the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace (1982-1996)
• International Councilor, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (1983 - 1997)
• Member, Advisory Council of the Institute for International Studies of Stanford University (1995 - 1997)
• Member, International Advisory Board of the Council on Foreign Relations (1995-1997)

Mr Tung is married to Betty Chiu Hung Ping. They have three children and nine grandchildren.