Veteran Beijing loyalist who 'loved the country' dies at 66
Veteran Beijing loyalist Wong Kong-hon, a Standing Committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, has died, aged 66.
In a statement issued by the Hong Kong Culture Association to CPPCC members, Wong was praised for his 'love the country and love Hong Kong' character. This was reflected in his public work that had contributed to the country's and city's development, it said.
Wong, who died on Friday at Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, was a native of Fujian .
He was a local delegate to the National People's Congress for three terms from 1988 to 2003 before becoming a CPPCC Standing Committee member. His five-year term would have ended next March.
He had been a leader of a number of Fujian business and social groups, and was the chairman and supervisor of Fukien Secondary School.
In 2002, Wong was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star for 'his valuable contributions in promoting the participation in community affairs of the Fukienese in Hong Kong'.
One of his most recent positions was as a member of the government-appointed Commission on Strategic Development, responsible for mapping the city's way forward towards universal suffrage. In April, he made a written submission to the government proposing the future nominating committee comprise all local delegates to the NPC and CPPCC.
Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong vice-chairman Tam Yiu-chung said he noticed Wong's health had deteriorated when he saw him in March. He said Wong had suffered from cancer for some time.
He said Wong, a DAB member and party adviser, had won the respect of people from various sectors. 'He loved the country,' Mr Tam said.
Meanwhile, a public memorial was held at the Hong Kong Funeral Home yesterday for Chuang Shih-ping, a former local NPC delegate and CPPCC Standing Committee member, ahead of his funeral today.
Chuang, founder of the Nanyang Commercial Bank, died on June 2, aged 97.
