Allen Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Allen Lee Peng-fei
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| 李鵬飛 | |
Allen Lee at the 1 July march in 2008.
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| Chairman of the Liberal Party | |
| In office 26 June 1993 – 5 December 1998 |
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| Succeeded by | James Tien |
| Unofficial Member of the Executive Council | |
| In office 21 June 1985 – 7 October 1992 |
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| Appointed by | Sir Edward Youde |
| Senior Member of the Legislative Council | |
| In office 25 August 1988 – 15 November 1991 |
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| Appointed by | Sir David Wilson |
| Preceded by | Lydia Dunn |
| Member of the Legislative Council | |
| In office 1 September 1978 – 31 July 1995 |
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| Appointed by | Sir Edward Youde Sir David Wilson |
| In office 11 October 1995 – 30 June 1997 |
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| Constituency | New Territories North-east |
| In office 21 December 1996 – 30 June 1998 (Provisional Legislative Council) |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 April 1940 Chefoo, Shantung, China |
| Died | 15 May 2020 (aged 80) Hong Kong |
| Nationality | Hong Kong Chinese |
| Political party | Liberal Party (1993–2003) |
| Spouse | Maria Choi Yuen-ha |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Hong Kong |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan (BS) |
| Occupation | Company director politician |
Allen Lee Peng-fei (born 24 April 1940, died 15 May 2020) was an important person in Hong Kong. He was a successful businessman, a politician, and a commentator who shared his opinions on current events.
Allen Lee was a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, which is like Hong Kong's parliament, from 1978 to 1997. He was also a senior member of this council from 1988 to 1991. He advised the Hong Kong government as a member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong from 1986 to 1992.
He helped start the Liberal Party in 1993, a political group that supports businesses. He was its first chairman until he retired in 1998. After leaving politics, he became a well-known TV host and shared his thoughts on political news.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Allen Lee was born on 24 April 1940 in Yantai, China. His family moved to Shanghai to stay safe during a war. His father was a merchant who worked with American companies. In 1948, his father moved to the United States.
When he was 14, Allen Lee was part of a youth group. In 1954, his mother sent him to Hong Kong, where he finished high school. He then went to the United States to study. He learned English in Ohio and later studied electronics engineering at the University of Michigan.
Business Achievements
After college, Allen Lee worked at Lockheed Corporation in California. In 1966, his company sent him to Hong Kong to open a new factory. He became a Test Engineer and Training Engineer there.
In 1970, he joined Ampex as a manager. He helped set up a factory in Taiwan and a new engineering department. By 1973, he became the first Chinese general manager at Ampex. During a tough economic time (the 1973 oil crisis), he helped the company survive by having workers take shorter weeks. He also made the factory a better place to work by adding air-conditioning and paying workers more.
In 1985, Allen Lee started a new company called Meadville Holdings Limited with a business partner. They made printed circuit boards (PCBs), which are used in electronics. He also set up a factory in Dongguan, China. He later started a trading company that sold materials for making PCBs.
Political Journey
Serving in Government Councils
In the late 1970s, the leader of Hong Kong, Sir Murray MacLehose, wanted to improve Hong Kong's technology. He visited Allen Lee's company, Ampex, in 1977. Lee suggested building a technology park, but the idea was not taken seriously at the time.
In 1978, at 38 years old, Allen Lee became the youngest person to be appointed to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo). The LegCo is where laws are discussed and made. He also held other important public roles, like being part of the Hong Kong Productivity Council. In 1986, he was asked to join the Executive Council of Hong Kong (ExCo), which advises the government leader.
During his time in politics, he saw the talks between Britain and China about Hong Kong's future after 1997. In 1983, Allen Lee led a group of young professionals to Beijing, China. They wanted Hong Kong to keep its way of life and for Britain to continue ruling for a longer time. However, their requests were turned down.
He also joined discussions about the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984. This agreement decided that Hong Kong would return to China in 1997. Allen Lee and other LegCo members wanted to make sure Hong Kong's people had their voices heard during these important talks.
Leading the Liberal Party
From 1988 to 1991, Allen Lee was the most senior non-government member of the Legislative Council. After the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 in China, he joined others to ask Britain to give full British passports to Hong Kong people before 1997.
In 1991, after a new election brought more pro-democracy members into the LegCo, Allen Lee formed a group called the Co-operative Resources Centre. This group included business leaders and other appointed members. This group later became the Liberal Party in 1993, and Allen Lee was its first chairman.
In 1992, he resigned from the Executive Council. He then disagreed with the new Hong Kong leader, Chris Patten, about his plans to make elections more democratic. Allen Lee and his Liberal Party tried to change Patten's plans, but Patten's ideas were approved.
In the 1995 LegCo election, Allen Lee was one of the few conservative candidates to be directly elected. He became closer to the Chinese government. He was appointed to several important committees that prepared for Hong Kong's return to China. He also became a member of the Provisional Legislative Council, a temporary law-making body set up by Beijing.
In 1998, Allen Lee ran for election again but lost. After this defeat, he announced his retirement as the Liberal Party chairman. He stepped down in December 1998.
Life in Media and Later Years
After retiring from politics, Allen Lee started a career in media. He hosted Legco Review, a weekly TV show on RTHK that talked about news from the Legislative Council. He hosted this show from 2001 until 2018.
He became more open about supporting democracy and criticizing the Hong Kong and Chinese governments. He joined a large protest in 2003 against a proposed law. He also left the Liberal Party in 2003 because the party changed its stance on supporting full democracy for Hong Kong's leader.
In 2004, he briefly hosted a radio show called Teacup in the Storm. He resigned after two weeks, saying he felt pressure not to speak openly about the government. He claimed a Chinese official had called him, which made him worry about his family. This event caused a big discussion about freedom of speech in Hong Kong. He also left his role as a delegate to China's national legislature, the National People's Congress, for similar reasons.
In 2013, Allen Lee joined a political group called Hong Kong 2020. This group aimed to find common ground on how to achieve full democracy in Hong Kong. He left the group after a year due to concerns about conflicts of interest.
In 2019, Allen Lee and other former Liberal Party leaders asked the Hong Kong leader, Carrie Lam, to withdraw a controversial bill. This bill had led to large protests in Hong Kong. They also asked for an investigation into the protests and for the government to talk with the public.
Passing Away
Allen Lee passed away on 15 May 2020, at the age of 80. His family announced his death on 19 May 2020.
See Also
- Censorship in Hong Kong
- Media of Hong Kong
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