Tung Chee-hwa was right to withdraw the 2003 national security bill

Universal entitlements of all persons regardless of nationality, status, or circumstance, grounded in international law. Includes civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. Promoted and monitored through treaty bodies, courts, and advocacy organizations operating at national and international levels.

Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong's first chief executive following the 1997 transfer from British to Chinese rule, died on 8 September 2026 aged 89. His 1997-2005 administration faced the Asian financial crisis, the SARS epidemic and mass protests against proposed Article 23 national-security legislation. After resigning, he remained an influential supporter of Beijing and of subsequent national-security and electoral changes in Hong Kong.