Former Hong Kong leader Tung Chee-hwa nominated for China’s highest title of honour ahead of 70th anniversary of founding of the People’s Republic
- Tung is only Hongkonger on list of 36 nominees which also includes first Chinese woman to win a Nobel Prize
- The first chief executive after the end of British rule, Tung nominated for contribution to city’s smooth transition to Chinese sovereignty
Hong Kong’s first leader after the end of British rule Tung Chee-hwa has been nominated for a national title of honour in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of People’s Republic of China.
Tung was the only Hongkonger on the list of 36 nominees for China’s highest state honour, announced on Wednesday, in recognition of their contributions to the country’s development.
The list included eight nominees for national medals and 28 for honorary titles.
The nominees were from sectors such as defence, foreign affairs, science and technology, border protection and arts and culture.
This was the first time China had bestowed the highest national honours to commend exemplary contributors to the construction and development of the People’s Republic of China, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said.
Among those nominated for the Medal of the Republic, the country’s highest honour, were scientist Tu Youyou – winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of artemisinin, one of the world’s most effective malaria-fighting drugs. Born in 1930, Tu was the first Chinese woman to win a Nobel Prize.