Hong Kong holds state funeral for first leader Tung Chee-hwa

Hong Kong has laid to rest Tung Chee-hwa, the city's first chief executive after its 1997 handover from Britain to China, at a state funeral held on Sunday, September 20, 2026. Tung, a former shipping tycoon handpicked by Beijing to lead the territory, died on September 8 at the age of 89. The funeral, only the third time a Hongkonger has received such an honour since the handover, followed a vigil on Saturday at the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point that drew dozens of political and business figures. The state funeral was arranged by an 87-member committee chaired by Shi Taifeng, a member of the Communist Party Politburo and top vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Shi delivered a eulogy lauding Tung as an outstanding contributor to the one country, two systems framework and a close friend of the Communist Party of China, according to state media. Chief Executive John Lee was among the pallbearers carrying Tung's casket, which was draped with the Chinese national flag, as it was driven from the funeral home to a crematorium.