Leung Chun-ying

Leung Chun-ying
Name	Leung Chun-ying
Native name	梁振英
Office	Chief Executive of Hong Kong
Term start	1 July 2012
Term end	30 June 2017
Predecessor	Donald Tsang
Successor	Carrie Lam
Birth date	12 August 1954
Birth place	Hong Kong
Alma mater	University of Hong Kong, Middlesex University
Party	Executive Council of Hong Kong (ex officio), affiliated with Beijing

Leung Chun-ying is a Hong Kong politician, surveyor and public figure who served as the third Chief Executive of Hong Kong from 2012 to 2017. He has held roles spanning professional associations, municipal advisory bodies and Beijing liaison institutions, and his tenure intersected with major events involving Pro-democracy camp (Hong Kong), Occupy Central, National People's Congress and Standing Committee of the National People's Congress decisions affecting Hong Kong. His career links to institutions such as the Civil Service Bureau (Hong Kong), Hong Kong Basic Law, Hong Kong Police Force, and cross-border entities like the Chinese Communist Party organs and the Macau administration.

Early life and education

Born in Hong Kong in 1954, he attended local schools before studying surveying at the University of Hong Kong, where contemporaries included figures who later worked in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Judiciary. He pursued postgraduate studies at institutions such as Middlesex University and trained in professional bodies including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, connecting him with networks across United Kingdom, Australia, and Mainland China. His formative years coincided with political developments involving the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the drafting of the Basic Law.

Career in surveying and business

He qualified as a chartered surveyor and worked in private practice and corporate roles linked to firms operating in Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Mainland China. He served in leadership positions in professional associations such as the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and engaged with statutory boards including the Lands Department (Hong Kong), the Town Planning Board, and advisory panels tied to the Urban Council (Hong Kong) and Housing Authority. His commercial links extended to property developers and conglomerates with ties to entities like Sun Hung Kai Properties, Hutchison Whampoa, Cheung Kong Holdings, and mainland enterprises including state-owned enterprises represented at forums like the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. He also sat on corporate boards associated with regional finance groups that interacted with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Hong Kong Monetary Authority.

Political career

His formal public service began with appointments to bodies such as the Executive Council of Hong Kong, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong advisory panels, and the Urban Council (Hong Kong) before 1997. Post-1997, he served on the Provisional Legislative Council, and held roles linked to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region institutions, advising offices connected to the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong S.A.R. and interacting with the Hong Kong Police Force, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, and the Department of Justice (Hong Kong). He was a vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China critics and engaged with mainland bodies such as the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. His political network included contacts with leaders of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, Liberal Party (Hong Kong), Civic Party, and Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions during election campaigns and policy consultations.

Chief Executive of Hong Kong (2012–2017)

Elected Chief Executive in 2012 with backing from the Chinese Communist Party-aligned election committee and influential business blocs including representatives from Heung Yee Kuk, Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association, and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, he succeeded Donald Tsang. His administration faced major events: the rise of the Umbrella Movement and protests orchestrated by activists from groups such as Occupy Central with Love and Peace, Students' Union (University of Hong Kong), and leaders like figures associated with Joshua Wong, Benny Tai, and Alex Chow. His government enacted policies influenced by the Basic Law, sought legislative changes involving the National People's Congress Standing Committee, and coordinated with the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison and the Hong Kong Police Force during civil disturbances. His term dealt with cross-border frameworks such as the Individual Visit Scheme, Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Greater Bay Area, and economic initiatives linked to the Belt and Road Initiative and the Clarke Taxonomy of regional planning, while engaging with financial institutions including the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and the World Trade Organization on trade and investment matters. His administration saw the rise of tensions involving the Pro-democracy camp (Hong Kong), the Pro-Beijing camp (Hong Kong), and international reactions from governments such as the United States, the United Kingdom, European Union, and the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Post–Chief Executive activities and public roles

After leaving office, he took roles with mainland consultative bodies like the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and was appointed to bodies connected with the National People's Congress and Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong S.A.R.. He continued to appear in public forums alongside leaders from Carrie Lam, John Lee (Hong Kong), and business figures from Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, Hang Seng Bank, and Bank of China (Hong Kong). He participated in conferences tied to the Belt and Road Initiative, attended events organized by the Confucius Institute network and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forums, and engaged with think tanks such as the China Development Research Foundation, Brookings Institution, and Council on Foreign Relations-affiliated panels. His post-term work included visiting delegations to Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and international missions involving Singapore, United Kingdom, and United States interlocutors.

Personal life and controversies

His personal life includes family ties and business associations that drew scrutiny in relation to entities like developers and media groups including Next Digital and transactions referenced by reporters from outlets such as the South China Morning Post, The Standard (Hong Kong), and international press like The New York Times and The Guardian. He faced controversies over conflicts of interest, resignation demands linked to probes by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, legal actions in courts such as the Court of Final Appeal (Hong Kong), and allegations debated in panels of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. High-profile incidents involved protests at venues including Admiralty (Hong Kong), Government House (Hong Kong), and interactions with civic organizations like Hong Kong Journalists Association and Bar Association of Hong Kong. His political stance elicited responses from overseas parliaments including Parliament of the United Kingdom, the United States Congress, and advocacy groups such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. He has received honors and faced criticism related to awards and appointments from bodies including the Order of the British Empire-affiliated alumni and mainland commendations from provincial governments such as Guangdong Provincial Government.

Category:Politicians from Hong Kong Category:Chief Executives of Hong Kong