Prominent leftist businessman and philanthropist Tsui Tsin-tong has died in Beijing aged 69, almost a month after he suffered a stroke.
Tsui, who fled turmoil on the mainland in 1950 but later became one of Hong Kong's leading patriots - playing a key role in the return of the city's sovereignty to China - died at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital at about 11am.
The death of Tsui, convener of the Hong Kong delegation to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Standing Committee, came just under a month after he fell into a coma on March 4 while attending the annual plenary session of the CPPCC. National leaders including State Councillor Liu Yandong, CPPCC chairman Jia Qinglin and vice-chairman Tung Chee-hwa had visited him in hospital last month.
Announcing the news, standing committee member Chan Wing-kee said he believed a high-level funeral would be organised to reflect Tsui's contributions to the nation and Hong Kong, particularly his work on the change of sovereignty.
'Mr Tsui was a person who deserved respect. He went from rags to riches with his own efforts and was a very senior member on the CPPCC Standing Committee. We will all miss him,' Chan said.
Former colleagues praised him as a generous and sociable person.