Antony Leung announces daughter's birth

A beaming Antony Leung Kam-chung last night announced that his wife, Fu Mingxia, had given birth to their first child - a daughter.

Scores of reporters had been waiting for the announcement at Queen Mary Hospital since the financial secretary drove former Olympic diver Ms Fu there at lunchtime.

'My wife has given birth to a baby girl and both mother and daughter are doing well,' he said at about 9.45pm. He said he and his wife had yet to settle on a name - then expressed sympathy for the waiting press pack.

'I know many of you are very tired and have spent a long time at the hospital waiting. You should go home to take a rest,' he said. He then excused himself from the impromptu press conference in a common room on the second floor and returned to the ninth-floor maternity ward and the bedside of Ms Fu, 26.

A spokesman later said that Mr Leung, 51, had been present at the birth, although there was no comment on whether it was by Caesarean section, as widely believed. No weight was given for the child.

The couple can rest assured that their little girl has been born a full Hong Kong citizen, despite mainlander Ms Fu only being in Hong Kong on a two-way permit.

The baby's entitlement to right of abode was secured nearly two years ago by a ruling from the Court of Final Appeal. At that hearing, three-year-old Chong Fung-yuen, who was born when his parents were visiting Hong Kong on two-way permits, was granted permanent residency, despite government objections.