Leung Chun-ying, newly-elected Chief Executive of the
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), speaks in an exclusive
interview with Xinhua in Hong Kong, south China, March 30, 2012. The HKSAR held
the election for the fourth-term chief executive on March 25. In the first round
of the voting, Leung garnered 689 votes, a majority of the 1,132 votes cast by
members of the 1,200- member Election Committee. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)
HONG KONG, April 11 (Xinhua) -- There is a tiny place on the planet with
abundant inspiring stories that ladder up an international city of more than 7
million people and an economy that reached 243 billion U.S. dollars in 2011.
This is Hong Kong, home to Leung Chun-ying (known as CY Leung), the elected
fourth-term Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
(HKSAR).
HUMBLE ORIGINS
Leung officially announced his candidacy for the post in October 2011,
focusing on housing, poverty reduction, medical services, education and other
social issues, since he developed his political career mainly around the
well-being of the Hong Kong people.
For Leung, family means a lot. Eighty years ago, his penniless parents came
to Hong Kong from Shandong Province. Little Leung, born on Aug. 12, 1954, and
his two sisters lived in their father's cramped police dormitory with one
communal washroom shared by a dozen households for years until they could afford
their own apartment.
"My mom is a bound-feet woman. When I was in primary school, I accompanied my
mom to work on an assembly line making plastic flowers," he choked up in a stump
speech.
"I still remember the last time we delivered plastic flowers. My mom kept the
last wrapping bag in a box, saying it was to be passed down to her
grandson."
Till now, Leung's right shoulder is still sturdier than the left as the only
boy of the family had to do such heavy labor as carrying raw materials and bags
of plastic flowers after school. But it was recalled as the first lesson in life
for him: Earn your own living no matter how bad the times may be.
With a five-year scholarship from the Police Force, Leung went on to the
King's College, one of Hong Kong's oldest government secondary schools before he
was admitted to study Surveying at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Between 1974 and 1977, he studied Estate Management at Bristol Polytechnic,
UK. To cover expenses, he worked 20 hours a week at a Chinese takeaway shop,
sometimes back to the residence in the wee hours. Everyday he walked 55 minutes
each way to college just to save the bus fare. On weekends, he and other Hong
Kong students taught Chinese to the children of Hong Kong immigrants.
The difficult life in his youth not only taught Leung the importance of
determination and perseverance which has been integrated into his personality,
but also gave him a basic understanding of Hong Kong society, as well as the
needs and expectations of the general public.
PATRIOTISM IS CITIZENS' RESPONSIBILITY
The first time the notion of the motherland struck Leung was in the 1970s
when a Chinese national basketball team visited England. He was deeply impressed
by the respectfulness and solemnity displayed by the British supporters when
"God Save the Queen" was played.
In Bristol Polytechnic, Leung bonded with other Chinese students to discuss
life planning, social progress, development and the future of the
motherland.
"The experiences were invaluable wealth in my life," Leung said. "Since then,
I began to ponder the relationship between individual, society and nation, and
think about what I can do for my country."
After graduation, he returned to Hong Kong. In 1977, Leung joined the Hong
Kong office of Jones Lang Wootton, one of the largest British real estate
consultancy firms. Five years later, he became an equity partner, the youngest
partner of the firm in its history of 200-odd years.
In the late 1970s, Leung joined a group of professionals -- lawyers,
accountants, engineers, architects, planners and surveyors -- who set up the
Association of Experts for the Modernization of China aimed at advising Chinese
mainland officials on issues such as urban planning, land auctions and property
rights.
They traveled at their own expense to Shenzhen -- then a fishing village with
just a few thousand residents -- on weekends to help the local authorities
prepare a town plan.
It was not popular among young Hong Kongers, especially the high-fliers at
that time.
Leung also traveled regularly to Guangzhou and Shanghai to discuss with the
locals on land use and development in their modernization drive, contributing to
their land policies. His recommendations on dealing with expiring leases on the
New Territories, the part of Hong Kong closest to the mainland, eventually found
their way into the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong
Kong.
"Patriotism is the responsibility of citizens. It is a great honor that I can
serve my motherland with what I have learned," Leung said.
EAST, WEST, HOME IS BEST
Leung has been crowned with many honors on his long path to the city's top
post. He was awarded "one of the outstanding young persons in Hong Kong" in
1988. He was secretary general of the Basic Law Consultative Committee, leader
of the Political Sub- Group of the Preliminary Working Committee, vice chairman
of the Preparatory Committee for the HKSAR and member of the Provisional
Legislative Council.
Since 1999, Leung had been convenor of the Non-Official Members of the
Executive Council of Hong Kong until he resigned the post in Oct. 2011 to stand
for the election. On the campaign trail, Leung and his team reached out to the
people with "a stool, a notepad and a pen" to listen to their views. "If you are
willing to speak, I am ready to listen. I aspire to be a chief executive working
whole-heartedly for Hong Kong!" Leung said.
On economic and social policies, Leung proposed a set of measures to tackle
the deep-rooted problems of income gap, inflation, housing, medical services and
education.
Leung, with his charisma and campaign declaration -- "Seeking Change While
Maintaining Stability", secured 689 votes out of 1,132 ballots cast by members
of the 1,200-member Election Committee on March 25, 2012 at the Hong Kong
Convention and Exhibition Center, winning the election of the fourth-term Chief
Executive of the HKSAR. Leung bowed and waved to a wowing audience at the press
conference soon after the election.
"I am most grateful to members of the Election Committee for the trust and
confidence they have reposed in me. I am accorded the privilege of serving our
community for the next five years which I shall accept with humility and
gratitude," he said.
Leung also called for unity and inclusion. "We are a family. Hong Kong is not
only a residence, but also a family of 7 million Hong Kongers," he said. "Now
the contest is over. It is time to reunite. We must work in unison and be
inclusive."
The election campaign reaffirmed the core values shared among the people of
Hong Kong.
The rule of law, human rights, integrity, clean government and freedom of the
press are "part of the way of life for all Hong Kong people," Leung said, adding
that they are also the essential components of the principles of "one country,
two systems", "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" with a high degree of
autonomy.
Leung said he upholds Hong Kong's core values and will work to resolve social
issues and conflicts in order to maintain prosperity and stability of Hong
Kong.
"We are not tenants of a small island; we are one family. We may have
different backgrounds, but our next generation has a common future," Leung said.
"Hong Kong will succeed as long as we are of one heart and one vision."
