- Title: Key events in the political life of Hong Kong's former leader Donald Tsang
- Date: 2nd January 2017
- Summary: ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** TSANG WALKING TO PODIUM TSANG TAKING HIS OATH OF OFFICE TSANG SHAKING HANDS JOURNALISTS VARIOUS OF TSANG TAKING OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE OF OFFICE FROM WEN Tsang was sworn into office on June 24, 2005 as then-Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao officiated the ceremony. Tsang took his oath of office in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. He replaced Tung Chee-hwa who quit in March 2005. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - MAY 19, 2008) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) TSANG ARRIVING HONG KONG AND CHINESE FLAGS AT HALF-MAST VARIOUS OF TSANG AND SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OBSERVING MOMENT OF SILENCE Tsang and senior government officials observed a moment of silence, expressing their deep condolences to those who died in the earthquake in Sichuan. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - AUGUST 24, 2010) (REUTERS) TSANG LAYING FLOWERS IN FRONT OF MEMORIAL FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS WHO DIED IN PHILIPPINES SEIGE TSANG OBSERVING ONE-MINUTE SILENCE TSANG SIGNING CONDOLENCE BOOK CLOSE OF CONDOLENCE BOOK WITH TSANG'S SIGNATURE Tsang led senior government officials on August 24, 2010 in paying tribute to the Hong Kong residents who died in a Philippines tour bus siege that happened on August 23, 2010. Flags were flown at half mast to mourn the dead and Hong Kong authorities issued a travel warning to the Philippines where Hong Kong and Chinese visitors account for 10 per cent of the nation's tourists. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - JULY 25, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TSANG GREETING THEN-U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON TSANG GREETING U.S. DELEGATES CLINTON AND TSANG TALKING TSANG SPEAKING U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Tsang on July 25 2011 ahead of a speech to business leaders in Hong Kong. Clinton made a speech urging Asia to embrace "open, free, transparent and fair" global trade rules. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - MARCH 26, 2012) (REUTERS) TSANG AND LEUNG CHUN-YING SEATED IN MEETING TSANG TALKING Hong Kong's outgoing Chief Executive, Donald Tsang, received Chief Executive elect Leung Chun-ying, otherwise known as CY, at his office on March 26, 2012 to congratulate him and work on plans for the transition of power.
- Embargoed: 17th January 2017 05:51
- Keywords: Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang profile trial bribery
- Location: HONG KONG AND BEIJING, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG AND BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Reuters ID: LVA0045XE0IMD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
Donald Tsang, 72, was Hong Kong's second Chief Executive and retired in 2012 after a high-flying career as a civil servant, serving as a senior official in the former British colonial administration and a former Financial Secretary.
He began his civil service career in 1967 with the former British colonial administration and slowly climbed the ranks to becoming Hong Kong's leader in 2005 after the city's first post-handover leader Tung Chee-hwa resigned in March 2005.
Tsang was born in October 1944, the son of a police officer. He, unlike most civil servants, joined the civil service without attending university. He is married to Selina Tsang, with whom they have two sons.
Tsang was well known for his preference of wearing flamboyant bow-ties and he was widely known among local Hong Kong people as Bow-Tie Tsang.
Tsang was knighted by Prince Charles for his distinguished public service under the British colonial administration prior to Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule in 1997. His close links with the former British colonial government created unease in Beijing and among pro-Beijing elements in Hong Kong community.
As the city's leader Tsang maintained close ties with Beijing, his popularity and experience made him Beijing's ideal leader.
Tsang said he and his family would leave Hong Kong after his second five-year term finished in 2012.
But he became involved in a junket controversy in February 2012 after it was discovered he received favours and hospitality from business tycoons on various occasions.
Public resentment toward Tsang centered on reports of lavish spending on overseas duty visits, trips with tycoons by private jet and luxury yacht, accepting a sweetheart rental deal for a 6500-square-foot penthouse in southern China, and staying in a high-roller suite at the Venetian casino resort in Macau.
Tsang stepped down as the Independent Commission Against Corruption, began an investigation. The city's anti-corruption watchdog officially charged him of two counts of misconduct in public office on October 5, 2015.
Hong Kong's High Court ruled on October 11, 2016 that Tsang should face an extra count of accepting an advantage from an agent for violating the Prevention of Bribery ordinance. Tsang is set to stand trial from January 3, 2017.
He is now the highest-level official ever charged in Hong Kong history. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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