From city leader to defendant in the dock: a timeline of the Donald Tsang case
A look back at the significant events leading up to Tsang’s trial
1967
Donald Tsang starts his career as a civil servant
2005
Tsang becomes Hong Kong’s chief executive, and is appointed again to the position in 2007
2010
February: Tsang starts negotiating with Bill Wong Cho-bau, a major shareholder of Wave Media, over a penthouse apartment in Shenzhen where he plans to retire
Invitation for digital audio broadcasting licence begins, which will eventually attract Wave Media, Phoenix U Radio, and Metro Broadcasting Corporation to apply
July 9: Public consultation on digital audio broadcasting licence begins
July 16: Tsang’s wife Selina Tsang Pou Siu-mei deposits HK$350,000 in cash into her Bank of East Asia account, only 35 minutes after Wave Media shareholder David Li Kwok-po withdrew HK$350,000 in cash from the same branch. The prosecution said Li gave the money to Tsang to help pay for the Shenzhen penthouse
November 5: Executive Council approves in principle Wave Media’s digital broadcasting license and orders its application to surrender its analogue licence to be considered, two of the applications Tsang is accused of granting without disclosing his tie with Wong
November 17: A payment of 800,000 yuan is successfully made from Tsang’s wife’s account to East Pacific Holdings, the developers of the Shenzhen apartment. The prosecution suggested the payment could have been Tsang buying the property for less than the market rate
November 30: Wave Media changes its name to Digital Broadcasting Corporation (DBC)
2011
February 18: Interior designer Barrie Ho Chow-lai meets Mrs Tsang at Government House, the first of 14 meetings
February 22: Ho signs a contact, agreeing to refurbish the Shenzhen property, after being introduced to the job by Wave Media shareholder Albert Cheng King-hon
February and March 2011: Tsang asks his permanent secretary to suggest Ho for an honour under the city’s awards and honours system.
March 24: Commercial and Economic Development Bureau informs DBC it does not forfeit its HK$2 million performance bonds as a result of it surrendering its analogue licence
May 23: Tsang approves Ho’s nomination for a medal of honour, but doesn’t reveal his personal link to Ho
October 29: Tsang awards Ho medal of honour at a Government House ceremony. While testifying at trial later, Ho claimed they never discussed the Shenzhen property at the event
2012
January 18: Ho and Mrs Tsang visit the Shenzhen property with a feng shui master, their 14th and final meeting
January 21: Executive Council approves a decision in favour of DBC, allowing former Executive Council member Arthur Li Kwok-cheung to exercise control over the company
February 20: Media reports reveal Tsang attended a banquet in Macau, kicking off a flurry of reporting into his alleged collusion with businessmen
February 21: The tenancy agreement for the Shenzhen property is signed. The receipt for the 800,000 yuan also has this date
February 26: Tsang goes on radio programme Beautiful Sunday and reveals for the first time his plans to live in the Shenzhen property
February 29: Anti-graft watchdog the Independent Commission Against Corruption launches an investigation into Tsang’s actions
June 30: Tsang finishes his term as chief executive
2015
October 5: Tsang charged with two counts of misconduct in public office, becoming the most senior public official in Hong Kong to be arrested
2016
August 8: DBC announces it will give up its digital broadcasting licence and close down.
September 9: DBC officially goes off air.
2017
January: Tsang’s trial on two charges of misconduct in office and one charge of accepting a bribe begins