Hong Kong holds state funeral for Tung Chee-hwa, its first post-colonial leader

Hong Kong held a state funeral on Sunday for Tung Chee-hwa, the city's first post-colonial leader, who died on September 8 at age 89. Tung served as chief executive from 1997 to 2005, leading the city through the Asian financial crisis, the SARS epidemic, and public protests. The funeral was only the third state funeral in Hong Kong since the 1997 handover from Britain to China. Chinese officials and Hong Kong leaders attended, and about 200 people were invited. Tung was later vice chairman of China's top political advisory body and received national honors in 2019.

Hong Kong holds state funeral for Tung Chee-hwa, its first post-colonial leader
Published Sep 20, 2026
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