Donald Tsang facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen GBM KBE
曾蔭權
Tsang in 2012
2nd Chief Executive of Hong Kong
In office 21 June 2005 – 30 June 2012
President	Hu Jintao
Premier	Wen Jiabao
Preceded by	Tung Chee-hwa
Succeeded by	Leung Chun-ying
Chief Secretary for Administration
In office 1 May 2001 – 31 May 2005
Chief Executive	Tung Chee-hwa
Preceded by	Anson Chan
Succeeded by	Rafael Hui
Financial Secretary of Hong Kong
In office 1 July 1997 – 30 April 2001
Chief Executive	Tung Chee-hwa
Succeeded by	Anthony Leung
In office 1 September 1995 – 30 June 1997
Governor	Chris Patten
Preceded by	Hamish Macleod
Secretary for the Treasury
In office 7 May 1993 – 31 March 1995
Governor	Chris Patten
Preceded by	Yeung Kai-yin
Succeeded by	Kwong Ki-chi
Personal details
Born	Tsang Yam Kuen (1944-10-07) 7 October 1944 (age 80) Hong Kong
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Selina Pou Siu-mei ​ (m. 1969)​
Children	2
Residences	111 Mount Butler Road, Jardine's Lookout
Education	Wah Yan College
Alma mater	Harvard University (MPA)
Profession	Politician, Civil Servant
Origin	Namhoi, Kwangtung
Signature

Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen (born 7 October 1944) is a former important government official in Hong Kong. He served as the second Chief Executive of Hong Kong from 2005 to 2012. The Chief Executive is like the leader or president of Hong Kong.

Tsang started working for the Hong Kong government in 1967. He held many different jobs in local government, finance, and trade. He became the Financial Secretary of Hong Kong in 1995. He was the first Chinese person to hold this job while Hong Kong was under British rule.

He continued to work for the Hong Kong government after 1997. He became well-known around the world for helping to protect Hong Kong's money system during a big financial crisis in 1997.

Tsang became the Chief Secretary for Administration in 2001. This is the second-highest position in the government. He then became Chief Executive in 2005 after the previous leader, Tung Chee-hwa, resigned. He was re-elected in 2007 and served a full five-year term until 2012.

During his time as Chief Executive, he suggested two major changes to how Hong Kong's government works. The second set of changes was approved in 2010. This was a big step for political reform in Hong Kong. He also started many large building projects.

Towards the end of his time in office, some questions were raised about his actions. He was later charged with misconduct in public office. In 2017, he was found guilty of one charge. However, in 2019, a higher court cleared his name. They said the trial judge had not given the jury proper instructions.

Early Life and Government Career

Tsang was born in Hong Kong on 7 October 1944. His father was a police officer. He grew up in police housing in Central, Hong Kong. After finishing high school at Wah Yan College, Hong Kong, he worked as a salesman for a short time.

Joining the Government

In January 1967, Tsang joined the government as an Executive Officer. He worked in many areas, including local government, money matters, and trade. He also helped with policies about Hong Kong's return to China in 1997.

In 1977, he worked for a year at the Asian Development Bank in the Philippines. He helped with projects like water supply and railway building. Later, in 1981, the government sent him to Harvard University in the United States. There, he earned a master's degree in public administration.

Important Roles Before Chief Executive

From 1985 to 1989, Tsang helped carry out the Sino-British Joint Declaration. This agreement decided that Hong Kong would return to China in 1997. In 1989, he became the Director of Administration. This role meant he oversaw how the government worked.

In 1991, he became the Director-General of Trade. He was in charge of all trade talks and rules for Hong Kong. In 1993, he was promoted to Secretary for the Treasury. In this job, he managed the government's money, taxes, and how well public services used their funds.

Becoming Financial Secretary

In September 1995, Tsang became the Financial Secretary. He was the first Chinese person to hold this important financial role in 150 years of British rule. He continued in this role after Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of China on 1 July 1997. Before the handover, he was knighted by Prince Charles in June 1997.

Helping Hong Kong's Economy

As Financial Secretary, Tsang talked about "caring capitalism" in 1996. This idea meant that the government would focus on growing the economy first. Then, it would use the new wealth to improve social services and welfare. Hong Kong's public spending grew as the government had plenty of money.

Tsang is well-known for his actions during the 1997 Asian financial crisis in 1998. He worked with Joseph Yam, who led the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. They bought a lot of Hong Kong stocks to protect the Hong Kong dollar. This action helped stop attacks from large investment funds and made Tsang famous around the world.

Role as Chief Secretary

In 2001, Tsang became the Chief Secretary for Administration. This is the second-highest position in the Hong Kong government. His main task as Chief Secretary was to lead a "Team Clean Campaign" in 2003. This campaign aimed to clean up the city after the SARS outbreak.

Even though he was seen as less involved in major policy decisions, Tsang remained very popular. He was not blamed for big government mistakes, like the controversy over a security law in 2003. This law led to a huge public protest.

Becoming Chief Executive

On 11 March 2005, the Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, resigned due to health reasons. Tsang became the acting Chief Executive. Many people thought Beijing, China's central government, wanted Tsang to be the next leader.

On 25 May 2005, Tsang resigned as Chief Secretary. He announced he would run for Chief Executive on 2 June 2005. He was the only candidate and was elected by a special committee on 16 June 2005. He officially became Chief Executive on 21 June 2005. It was decided that he would serve the remaining two years of Tung Chee-hwa's term.

First Term as Chief Executive (2005–2007)

During his first term, Tsang tried to build good relationships with pro-democracy lawmakers. He even invited all 60 members of the Legislative Council to visit Guangdong, China, in September 2005. This was the first time many pro-democracy members had visited mainland China since 1989.

However, their relationship became difficult after lawmakers rejected a plan for government reform in December 2005. The plan would have expanded the election committee and added more seats to the Legislative Council. But pro-democracy lawmakers wanted more direct elections. The proposal did not get enough votes to pass.

In mid-2006, Tsang started the "Action Blue Sky Campaign". This plan aimed to reduce air pollution in Hong Kong and with nearby Guangdong.

2007 Re-election

Tsang announced he would seek a second term on 1 February 2007. His campaign slogan was "I'll get the job done." He received nominations from most of the election committee members. This meant he was almost guaranteed to win.

He faced a challenge from Alan Leong, a pro-democracy lawmaker. Tsang was re-elected on 25 March 2007 with 649 votes. Leong received 123 votes. This election was important because it was the first time two candidates from different political groups competed for Chief Executive.

Second Term as Chief Executive (2007–2012)

After being re-elected, Tsang outlined a five-year plan for Hong Kong. He emphasized "progressive development." This meant improving the community by restoring old buildings and boosting the economy with new building projects.

Big Plans for Hong Kong

Ten large building projects were planned during his term. These included:

• New MTR train lines like the Southern District Extension and Sha Tin to Central Link.
• Roads like the Tuen Mun Western Bypass.
• The Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link.
• The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge.
• Big development plans for areas like West Kowloon Cultural District and Kai Tak.

Protecting Old Buildings

Tsang's government also faced protests about tearing down old buildings. In response, he created an office to protect heritage. He also set aside money to restore historic buildings. He suggested turning the Central Market into a conserved and revitalized space.

New Government System

In 2008, Tsang's government introduced a new system for appointing officials. This system added more politically appointed roles. There was public criticism about how these officials were chosen and their pay. Tsang apologized, saying the arrangements "did not fully meet public expectations." This controversy caused his popularity to decline.

Helping During Economic Downturn

After a big economic downturn, called the Great Recession, Tsang announced plans to create 60,000 jobs in 2009. He sped up building projects and increased loans for small businesses. His government also identified six new economic areas to focus on, like medical services and creative industries. Hong Kong's economy recovered quickly from 2010.

High-Speed Rail Project

In 2009, the government's plan for the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link caused concerns. People worried about the high cost and the impact on a village. Over 10,000 people protested the project. Despite this, the project was approved and funded in 2010.

Changes to Elections

In 2009, Tsang's government proposed changes for the 2012 elections. To protest this, five pro-democracy lawmakers resigned. They hoped to trigger a special election to push for full universal suffrage.

Tsang's government worked hard to get support for their plan. Tsang even had a televised debate with a pro-democracy leader. In a big change, the central government in China approved a modified proposal from the Democratic Party. With this support, the election changes were approved. This was the first and only time such electoral reforms passed in Hong Kong's history.

Minimum Wage Law

To help with the growing gap between rich and poor, Tsang set up a commission in 2009. This group was to research and suggest a minimum wage. The Minimum Wage Bill was passed in July 2010. A minimum wage of HK$28 per hour was set in November 2010.

Questions About His Actions

In the final months of his term, questions arose about Tsang's actions. He was accused of receiving favors from business leaders, like trips on private jets and yachts. He was also questioned about renting a luxury apartment in Shenzhen at a very low price. This apartment was owned by a businessman who was applying for a broadcasting license.

Tsang said he did not need to declare these things and that his rental agreement was at market value. He apologized publicly on 1 June 2012, saying his actions had "undermined the community's confidence." He stepped down on 30 June 2012.

Legal Proceedings and Outcome

In October 2015, Tsang was charged with two counts of misconduct in public office. This was for not telling officials about his plans to rent the Shenzhen apartment. He was also charged for not declaring that an interior designer, Barrie Ho, was decorating the apartment when he suggested Ho for an honor. An additional charge of accepting an advantage was added in October 2016.

Tsang said he was not guilty of any charges. His trial began in January 2017. In February 2017, a jury found him guilty of one charge of misconduct related to the apartment rental. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison. The judge said he had "fallen from so high."

Tsang was granted bail in April 2017 due to health reasons while he appealed his conviction. For the charge where the jury could not decide, a new trial was held. However, that jury also could not reach a verdict, and no third trial was requested.

Tsang was released from prison in January 2019. He said he would continue to seek justice to clear his name. On 26 June 2019, the Court of Final Appeal cleared his name. They overturned his conviction and sentence. The Court found that the trial judge had not given the jury clear enough instructions. This meant Tsang was not convicted of any wrongdoing.

Because his appeal was successful, Tsang was able to get back some of the money he spent on legal costs. He also kept his civil servant's pension.

Personal Life

Donald Tsang and his wife, Selina, Lady Tsang, in 2008.

Donald Tsang is the oldest of six children. His younger brother, Tsang Yam-pui, was the Police Commissioner until 2003. His younger sister, Katherine Tsang, is a chairperson for a bank. Donald Tsang married Selina Pou Siu-mei in 1969. They have two sons, Simon and Thomas.

Tsang is a devoted Roman Catholic and attends church services every morning. He is well-known for always wearing bow-ties. People in Hong Kong often call him "Bow-tie Tsang." He started wearing them because a colleague gave him one, and he found them comfortable.

Tsang enjoys keeping koi fish. He had a special pond built for them at his official home, Government House. His other hobbies include swimming, watching birds, and hiking.

See also

In Spanish: Donald Tsang para niños

• Politics of Hong Kong
• List of bow tie wearers