Financial Times: Hong Kong Head Set to Step Down Early

[Dioneae muscipula]

On February 28, 2005, Financial Times staff reported that Hong Kong
Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa is preparing to step down early following
his appointment on Monday to China's leading political advisory body.

Sir Donald Tsang, chief secretary of Hong Kong, will take over as
acting chief executive should Tung does step down. Tung's office has
declined to comment on Tuesday.

Read more details in
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/ab9868c4-89c5-11d9-aa18-00000e2511c8.html

[Dioneae muscipula]

On March 10, 2005, Reuters reported that Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung
Chee-hwa confirmed on Thursday he has resigned after more than a week
of speculation. He has been nominated as a candidate for Vice-Chairman
of the Chinese People's Political Consulative Conference.

One of the legal issue left by Tung's resignation is whether his
successor will serve a term of 2 years (the remaining time of Tung's
current tenure) or a full term of 5 years.

According to Tung, he stepped down due to health reasons, though many
people in Hong Kong believe he was sacked by his bosses in Beijing.

Read
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7862493
for the Reuters article.

Read
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200503/10/03100209.htm
for Tung's remarks on his resignation, and his answers to some of the
reporters' questions in
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200503/10/03100258.htm

One of the reporters presented two questions for Tung and he offered
the answers:
......
Reporter: The same two short questions that I put to your predecessor.
What has been the most difficult moment for you during the time in
office and what are the dominant feelings that you are having now?

Chief Executive: The most difficult decision is for me to make this
particular decision. I do this with regret that I cannot complete the
five-year term because my health is not good enough. I said this in
Chinese earlier on that the feeling of being the Chief Executive,
working like I did, understanding Hong Kong so much better like I do
now, this sense of attachment, this sense of being Hong Kong and with
Hong Kong people is enormous. It's just a very special feeling and
it's kind of sad to leave.