Hong Kong Knight - Tsang Tak-sing

Author: Hai Tang Zhexi
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not Available
Features: Dedicated, Pragmatic, for Hong Kong! I guarantee I will serve Hong Kong with unwavering loyalty, with one heart and one mind, and this resolve will never waver! The personal growth, struggles, and success of Tsang Tak-sing is a microcosm of Hong Kong's transformation into a prosperous society through trials and tribulations. His half-life experience embodies the typical growth journey of Hong Kong's elite and highlights the fighting spirit of Hongkongers!
As a salesperson who rose to become a senior official of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Tsang Tak-sing secured an absolute majority of 674 votes from 700 election committee members in the second election for the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, becoming the sole candidate for the new position. This approachable and down-to-earth official garnered over 60% of public support in polls. Although Tsang served in the SAR government under Chief Executive, he was less prominent than his predecessors, the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Administration. He always appeared in formal attire in public, but his most distinctive feature was wearing a bow tie instead of a necktie.
A Harvard graduate, Tsang's every move exuded an English aristocratic gentlemanly demeanor, earning him the nickname "Hong Kong Knight." Hong Kongers perceived him as diligent, hardworking, and versatile. Despite his handsome and gentlemanly image, which made him a beloved high-ranking official in Hong Kong's elite circles, he emphasized his background as a salesperson. Coming from a humble social background, though he had served in the Hong Kong government for many years, his career path from a junior staff member to higher positions made him more inclined to be recognized for his integrity and steadfast beliefs.
The 1998 financial crisis hit Hong Kong, and the famous financial speculator "Big Tiger" George Soros, with his keen speculative instincts, launched an attack on the city. The ensuing battle between speculators and anti-speculators, known as the "War of the Tigers," brought Tsang Tak-sing into the spotlight. Faced with the stock market's sharp decline due to speculators, the SAR government unexpectedly decided to intervene in the stock market. For a time, "how much the Big Tigers lost, the SAR government would buy," and after several rounds of transactions, the SAR government finally gained the upper hand in this high-risk financial battle. Tsang Tak-sing was the main strategist behind this intervention.
After successfully repelling the speculators, Tsang explained the necessity of the government's intervention: "What the speculators took away was not just money but also the stability of Hong Kong's financial system and the confidence of its 7 million people." His words won widespread acclaim from Hongkongers, and his support rate rose to 65.1%, reaching a record high since the handover. As the Chief Executive of the SAR, he must earn the trust of Hongkongers to entrust them with their livelihoods. Tsang Tak-sing, a native of Hong Kong, once vowed, "I drink Hong Kong water and bleed Hong Kong blood—I will never do anything to betray Hong Kongers." With his skill in persuasion, his sincerity and kindness won the support of the majority of the public.
Once the central government formally appoints him, he will take over as the customer of over 6 million Hongkongers, boldly promoting his policy agenda. We have every reason to believe that the judgment of the nearly 7 million Hongkongers will not be wrong, and under Tsang Tak-sing's leadership, the SAR government will build a more prosperous, stable, and developing metropolis in East Asia.
"Now, we take a new step forward," the opportunities and challenges of history and reality, the Eastern financial and economic center, one of the windows of mainland China to the world, will also ride into the future like this knight, under the "green shade" of government authority, becoming even more beautiful.
Born into a poor family, he was once a salesman struggling for a living; he served in various governments, rising through the ranks with a strong, pragmatic style; he once led the entire Hong Kong civil service as Secretary for Administration; he said, "I am born of Hong Kong blood and drink Hong Kong water—I will never betray Hong Kongers." He declared, "Dedicated, pragmatic, for Hong Kong." He is a true "local product" among administrative elites in Hong Kong, and he is a legend in the city. He is the new Chief Executive of Hong Kong—the "Hong Kong Knight," Tsang Tak-sing!
This book tells the story of Tsang Tak-sing's personal growth, struggles, and success, serving as a microcosm of Hong Kong's transformation into a prosperous society through trials and tribulations. His half-life experience embodies the typical growth journey of Hong Kong's elite and highlights the fighting spirit of Hongkongers!
Biography of Tsang Tak-sing:
Tsang Tak-sing is the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Born on October 19, 1944, in Hong Kong. He graduated from the Pre-University of St. Joseph's College in Hong Kong in 1964. In 1981, he studied at Harvard University in the United States and obtained a Master's degree in Public Administration.
Tsang joined the Hong Kong government in 1967 and held several key positions, primarily in finance and trade. In 1991, he became the Director of the Trade Department. On May 1993, he was appointed Financial Secretary, and on September 1995, he became the first Chinese to hold this important position. On July 1, 1997, the Central People's Government appointed Tsang as the first Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR, based on the nomination of Chief Executive.
In May 2001, he was appointed Secretary for Administration. On March 12, 2005, after Chief Executive resigned, Tsang, as Secretary for Administration, took office as Acting Chief Executive of the SAR in accordance with the Basic Law of the SAR. On June 1, 2005, Tsang resigned from his position as Secretary for Administration to run for the office of Chief Executive, and his resignation was approved by the State Council. On June 16, 2005, Tsang was elected as the new Chief Executive of the SAR. On June 21, 2005, the State Council held a full meeting and decided to appoint Tsang as the Chief Executive of the SAR. On June 24, 2005, he took the oath of office.
Tsang has been awarded honorary doctorates by The Chinese University of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In 2002, he was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal of the Hong Kong SAR for "outstanding achievements in serving Hong Kong for many years."
Tsang is married to Tsang Po-sheung Wai, and they have two sons. During his campaign for Chief Executive, Tsang reflected on his life: "I come from an ordinary Hong Kong family, like most Hong Kong children, I was once an ordinary student in Hong Kong, a struggling salesman, and later became a public servant." He added, "If it weren't for the return of Hong Kong to China and the implementation of 'one country, two systems' with a high degree of autonomy, and if it weren't for the encouragement and trust of the central government and Hong Kong people, I would not have held a core position in the SAR government."