Beijing official praises Tung Chee-hwa at funeral
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
At Tung Chee-hwa’s state funeral on Sunday, senior Beijing official Shi Taifeng praised Hong Kong’s first post-colonial leader as a pioneer of “one country, two systems”, a staunch patriot and a close friend of the Chinese Communist Party. Shi’s eulogy also credited Tung with contributions ranging from the 1997 handover and Basic Law work to backing the government during the 2019 social unrest and safeguarding national security
Key Points
- Shi Taifeng, a Politburo member and first vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, delivered remarks at Tung’s state funeral on Sunday
- In the eulogy, Shi called Tung a “staunch patriot” and a “close friend” of the Communist Party who always put national interests first
- Shi said Tung helped the smooth 1997 transition, took part in drafting the Basic Law and contributed to forming Hong Kong’s local government
- The speech said Tung supported China’s reform and opening-up, expanded shipping links to North America and Europe, and helped Hong Kong develop as a global shipping hub
- Shi also praised Tung for supporting the government in quelling the 2019 social unrest and in safeguarding national security
Why It Matters
The official eulogy sets out how Beijing wants Tung’s political legacy to be remembered in Hong Kong: through patriotism, support for “one country, two systems” and alignment with national priorities. For Hong Kong readers, it also shows which parts of Tung’s record are being elevated in the city’s current political narrative