To understand Tung is to understand the historical moment in which he stood; Hong Kong’s post-1997 journey started there
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenCheng XianyueCheng Xianyue is a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies. Published: 9:30am, 27 Sep 2026On September 8, Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong’s first chief executive, died. It prompted reflection, not only on a political figure who once stood at the centre of the city’s public life, but also on nearly three decades of change since its return to China.
British colonial rule left Hong Kong with a highly developed administrative system built around efficiency, procedure and order. This administrative tradition became an important part of Hong Kong’s identity. However, colonial governance also operated under a distinct political structure, where questions of legitimacy, public participation and political accountability were addressed differently from those in modern constitutional systems.
After 1997, Hong Kong entered a new stage. The transition was not merely a change of political authority or government institutions. It also involved a transformation in how society understood public power. Citizens increasingly cared not only about whether policies could achieve results, but also why decisions were made, how different views were considered, and who should bear responsibility for consequences.
