Rosanna Law pays tribute to Tung Chee-hwa, recalls role in launching individual travel scheme

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui on Wednesday mourned the passing of Hong Kong’s first chief executive Tung Chee-hwa, recalling his role in introducing the Individual Visit Scheme during the city’s recovery from SARS.

Tung died peacefully on Tuesday at the age of 89, surrounded by his family.

In a social media post, Law expressed profound sorrow and recalled working at the Trade and Industry Department during negotiations over the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement in 2003.

She said that on the eve of the agreement’s signing, an arrangement allowing mainland residents to visit Hong Kong individually was added at the last minute.

Law said officials only learned after the measure was implemented that Tung had personally pushed for the policy with the central government in an effort to revive Hong Kong’s economy following the SARS outbreak.

The Individual Visit Scheme subsequently helped stimulate the city’s tourism, retail and catering sectors, she said.

Law recalled joining the Tourism Commission in 2010 and spending the following six years working on the expansion and management of the scheme.

After returning to the tourism sector following the pandemic, she said she came to appreciate that the Individual Visit Scheme remained a cornerstone of Hong Kong’s tourism industry.

She said the growth in visitors traveling under the scheme, along with the economic benefits they brought, had played an important role at different stages of Hong Kong’s economic recovery.

“Tung’s deep love for Hong Kong, his insight, and his foresight continue to benefit Hong Kong to this day,” Law wrote.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓