Pyrrho anson chan biography

Former Hong Kong senior laic servant and politician

This is precise Hong Kong name; Fang deterioration the maiden name and Chan is the married name.

This affair is about the Hong Kong female politician. For the Hong Kong male singer, see Ansonbean.

Anson Maria Elizabeth Chan Fang On-sang, GBM, GCMG, CBE, JP (Chinese: 陳方安生; née Fang; born 17 January 1940) abridge a retired Hong Kong mp and civil servant who was the first ethnic Chinese coupled with woman to serve as Big Secretary, the second-highest position exclaim both the British colonial authority and the Hong Kong SAR government under the Chinese hegemony from 1993 until she leave from the government in 2001, sparking speculations of her adolescent rift with Chief ExecutiveTung Chee-hwa.^[1]

Enjoying wide popularity during her occupation and often dubbed as "Iron Lady" and the "Conscience allround Hong Kong", Chan became more and more outspoken about pushing for organized faster pace of the democratization in Hong Kong and the autonomy of Hong Kong.^[2][3][4][5] Supported by the pan-democracy dramaturgic, she stood in the 2007 Hong Kong Island by-election obscure briefly served as member abide by the Legislative Council.^[6][7] After bodyguard retirement in 2008, she drawn-out to lobby domestically and internationally for democracy and autonomy robust Hong Kong, until her emptiness from public life entirely fence in 2020.^[8]

Early life

Anson Fang was congenital in Shanghai into an confluent family in 1940.

Her paterfamilias Fang Shin-hau was a clerk and textile businessman who distressed his family to the Island colony of Hong Kong explain 1948 on the eve pattern the Communist victory of say publicly Chinese Civil War. Fang Shin-hau died suddenly in 1950 full of years 36 when Anson was solitary ten, leaving eight children arrangement her mother Fang Zhaoling.

Anson's mother took the eldest descendants off to England to aspire their education, leaving the slumber in the hands of Anson's paternal grandmother and some uncles and aunts.^[9]

Her paternal grandfather, Bantu Zhenwu, was a Kuomintang universal who fought in the Alternate Sino-Japanese War, while her penman, Sir Harry Fang Sin-yang was a well-known orthopaedic surgeon view served as an appointed participator of the Legislative Council worm your way in Hong Kong from 1974 embark on 1985.

Her mother Fang Zhaoling who was also a Asiatic painting master not only powerfully built the responsibility of raising gather children, but also tried show to advantage pursue her career as play down artist.

Anson was educated pleasing the Sacred Heart Canossian Academy and studied English literature mockery the University of Hong Kong.

She put herself through asylum by working as a confidential tutor and for a yr as a clerk at Empress Mary Hospital. Along with studies, she was keen on dilettante dramatics, and it was drink this that she met grouping future husband, Archibald Chan Tai-wing. She began work on adroit social work diploma, but subsequent changed her mind and connected the Hong Kong Civil Avail in 1962.

The following best, she married Archie, who became a science teacher at Token Joseph's College.^[6]

Colonial administration career

When Chan joined the administrative service plebe in 1962, she was melody of only two women tend join the civil service look after that time. Her salary was reportedly one-quarter that paid take upon yourself men of equivalent grade.^[6] In the end, she progressed to the Back Section of the Finance Bough in 1962, followed by picture Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, then the Department of Trade and Industry, and later sustain to Finance.

In 1970, she became Assistant Financial Secretary instructions the Finance Branch of dignity Colonial Secretary, the first lady-love to attain that post.^[6] She became a senior administrative copper in 1970. During this hour she helped set up birth Association of Female Senior Authority Officers to fight for unscramble rights for women civil avoid, notably pushing for wage par with men.^[6]

Director of Social Welfare

Chan became the first female laic service director when appointed Inspector of Social Welfare in 1984.

During her tenure, she was severely criticised by media adoration her handling of a babe custody case in 1986, conventionally known as the Kwok Ah-nui incident.^[10] An investigation by off the record members of the Executive Assembly found that Chan had "acted within the law" in appreciation of her extreme powers, on the contrary recommended changes to the accumulation and to the Social Good fortune Department's procedures to prevent re-occurrence of similar cases.

She ulterior admitted that the media compel had made her "very upset" and this led to check her distance from the monitor, at least for a hardly years.^[11][12]

Chief Secretary

From 1987 to 1993, she was Secretary for Financial Services. She served as Playwright for the Civil Service come across April to October 1993 once becoming the 30th and latest Chief Secretary, the head magnetize the Hong Kong civil practise, in November 1993.

She exceptionally oversaw the localisation of goodness civil service during her time and again in this position. From 1994, she headed the Airport Course Steering Committee overseeing the expression of the new Chek Stain Kok Airport.

Chan was high-mindedness first woman and the precede ethnic Chinese to hold grandeur second-highest governmental position in Hong Kong.

The highest governmental situate, the Governor, was always retained by Britons before Hong Kong's handover to People's Republic close the eyes to China. Chan was often dubious during this era as disallow "Iron Lady", with "an trammels fist in a velvet glove". Chan was lauded as honesty most powerful woman in Collection for her role as distinction deputy of British GovernorChris Sabot, and later first Chief Heed of the SARTung Chee-hwa.

She was considered most trusted extreme official in Hong Kong prep between both the UK and PRC government to appoint her catch the head of the civilized service, before and after representation handover of Hong Kong.

In the run-up to the handover of Hong Kong, she was often the 'face of Hong Kong', dispatched to reassure distinction wider world that the habitat would not implode upon dismay return to China and consider it civil liberties would be upheld.

Her confidence reassured many leak out the globe.^[13]

Within Hong Kong she had wide public support expel be the first Chief Given that in the new administration on the other hand announced in October 1996 prowl she would not seek goodness role.

SAR administration career

After Hong Kong's handover to Ceramics on 1 July 1997, Chan stayed on as head be paid the civil service under abuse Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, undiluted valuable sign of stability avoid continuity for the new regulation. She was always highly regarded: one British-born civil servant uttered that "nothing would work outdoors her", also noting that "Tung needs her more than she needs him."^[13]

Chan was loyal take back the main but her the populace utterances were occasionally at opening with Tung.

It was inadequate to earn her a consider independence and the epithet clutch "Hong Kong's Conscience". In compare to the more conservative Tung, Chan showed the greater bounds for democracy and freedom, slab advocated a faster pace acquire democratisation.

In 1998, Chan was somewhat criticised for her put it on in the monitoring of goodness new Hong Kong International Airdrome construction at Chek Lap Kok.

The airport had logistical owing upon its opening, and labored blamed Chan for her dearth of supervision.^[14]

Defence of press freedom

When pro-government figures in Hong Kong attacked the Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) for being also critical of the Hong Kong and Chinese governments, Chan flew to its defence.^[15]

Practise their calling after 1997 as they plot practised it, continue to compose the stories and editorials ditch deserve to be written, responsibly, objectively without fear or good deed.

How well they do their job after the transition last wishes to a very large fully decide how well our beat freedoms will be protected.^[16]

— Anson Chan on Hong Kong journalists' character after the handover

In the summertime of 1999 RTHK became uncut platform for Taiwan-Mainland China discussions.

A local member of justness PRC's National People's Congress, Tsang Hin-chi, urged the government-owned receiver station to exercise self-censorship boss not to provide a stage that expressed the splitting dressing-down China; Xu Simin, a party of Chinese People's Political Informatory Conference, urged RTHK to classify allow Taiwan's president broadcasts.^[15]

On 12 April 2000 Wang Fengchao, agent director of Central Government's Love affair Office, delivered a speech gentle "The Principle of One Better half and the Taiwan Issue".

Wang hinted that Basic Law Piece 23 should be enacted chimpanzee quickly as possible in Hong Kong to protect China blaspheme treason and subversion.^[17] Chan crosspiece in a four-hour speech aft Wang on the importance waning press freedom and publication, on account of she believed in genuine urge freedom without external pressures.^[17]

Retirement propagate the government

The constant criticism boss mainland officials and policies was perceived by many to put pen to paper one of the main causes for Beijing to view Chan as a malefactor in Hong Kong politics.

In what interpretation Hong Kong media saw pass for a dressing down for Chan, PRC Vice Premier Qian Qichen told her at a continue in Beijing to "better ratiocination Tung", after there had archaic reports of disagreements between excellence two over the appointment hostilities officials.^[15][18] Chan agreed in 1999 to delay her retirement in a holding pattern June 2002.

However, Chan proclaimed her resignation in January 2001, and officially stepped down domestic animals April of the same year.^[14] In a later interview, Chan said she resigned after she failed to persuade Tung plug up delay the introduction of representation Principal Officials Accountability System, monkey she believed it was else early to introduce this custom when the chief executive stream half of the legislature were not directly elected.^[19]

Post-civil service career

After retiring from the civil instigate, Chan did not often agricultural show up in public.

However, acquit yourself December 2005, Chan participated acquit yourself the protest march for autonomy, against Donald Tsang's constitutional trade package^[20] and has since participated in subsequent marches for popular suffrage.^[21]

In July 2006, she criticised the Commission on Strategic Come to life, chaired by Donald Tsang, provision being "rather slow and unsatisfactory", and announced her intention quick start a "Core Group" taint push for taking forward greatness debate on Hong Kong's integral reforms.^[22] It was later proclaimed that the group would be made up of of heavyweights including Allen Take pleasure in, Christine Loh, Elizabeth Bosher, Fellow Johannes Chan, Chandran Nair good turn Lily Yam Kwan Pui-ying.^[23]

On 23 September 2006, in a information conference, Chan proclaimed that she would not run for picture position of Chief Executive refurbish 2007.

Legislative Council by-election

Main article: 2007 Hong Kong Island by-election

On 11 September 2007, Chan proclaimed that she would run worry the December 2007 by-election be directed at the Hong Kong Island settle made vacant by the defile of former DAB chairman Custom Lik.^[24][25] During the campaign, she was criticised by Alex Tsui, a former ICAC official who accused Chan of obtaining spiffy tidy up 100% mortgage to purchase ingenious flat in 1993 when she was Chief Secretary, suggesting fraudster abuse of power.

A Expertise University commentator said the uncertainty marked the start of boss smear campaign against Chan,^[26] though Chan did not engage withdraw smear-free politics either, accusing accumulate rival Regina Ip, the earlier Secretary for Security supported inured to Beijing government, of being regular "fake democrat".

Chan was additionally revealed of having been as well taken a seat in influence board of Richemont, (where practised board member is former Taipan Simon Murray) the director of name brand luxury the poop indeed, but which at that lifetime also owned a 23% tone of voice of British American Tobacco. Just as this news of her timber membership was revealed she instantly resigned from the board reproach Richemont.

In the early noontide of 2 December 2007, Chan was elected in the bye-election with 175,874 votes, securing get your skates on 55% of the vote. Regina Ip, Chan's main rival, abstruse 137,550 votes.^[27]

For this election, Chan spent HK$1.81 million, $330,000 more more willingly than Ip.

Her two main donors were Sir Quo-wei Lee gleam his wife, and Hong Kong Democratic Foundation chairman George Cautherley, who donated HK$250,000 each. Uproot Media chairman Jimmy Lai laudatory HK$200,000, and the Democratic Resolution gave HK$65,840 "for services".^[28]

On 6 July 2008, Chan announced put off she would not be hunting re-election to the Legislative Legislature at the expiry of collect term.^[29][30]

International lobbying

On 24 April 2013, Anson Chan launched a array called Hong Kong 2020 fail-safe the basis of the stool pigeon "Core Group" and "Citizen's Organizartion on Constitutional Development"^[31] to check on and comment on the inbuilt reform progress to achieve adequate universal suffrage for election spectacle the Chief Executive in 2017 and all members of distinction Legislative Council by 2020.^[32]

In Apr 2014, Anson Chan and Actress Lee, founder of Hong Kong's opposition Democratic Party, went confess the United States and fall down U.S.

Vice President Joe Biden, minority leader of the Detached house of RepresentativesNancy Pelosi and staff of the Congressional-Executive Commission go up China. The activists spoke spew against Beijing increasing control conveying Hong Kong and their fright of only candidates picked tough Beijing would be allowed hint at take part in the 2017 Chief Executive election.

Lee cope with Chan also voiced concerns package press freedom in Hong Kong, referring to violent assaults examine journalists and alleging that Peiping is pressuring advertisers to evade critical media. Biden underscored Washington's "long-standing support for democracy bother Hong Kong and for blue blood the gentry city's high degree of independence under the 'one country, bend in half systems' framework".

China warned interpretation United States against meddling unappealing Hong Kong's internal affairs astern Biden met with Chan snowball Lee. In response, Chinese Office holy orders of Foreign Affairs said focus it "firmly opposes any countries meddling in the city's civil affairs in any way."^{[citation needed]}

In July 2014, Anson Chan with the addition of Martin Lee visited the Mutual Kingdom and met with Proxy Prime Minister and the controller of the coalition's junior accessory the Liberal DemocratsNick Clegg ride raised concerns over China's oppress of the region, and distrustful Britain's commitment to Hong Kong's democratic development.

Clegg affirmed Britain's commitment to honour the gamble that if China breached glory Sino-British Joint Declaration, Britain would "mobilize the international community impressive pursue every legal and precision avenue available".^[33]Liu Xiaoming, PRC envoy to Britain, described Martin Leeward and Anson Chan as "bent on undermining the stability emulate Hong Kong".^[34]

In March 2019, Anson Chan and pro-democrat legislators Physicist Mok and Dennis Kwok visited the United States and trip over with Vice President Mike Pence to speak against Beijing's interference in Hong Kong affairs alight the proposed amendments to Hong Kong extradition law which consequent escalated to the massive anti-government protests.

Chan expressed concerns shelve the special trading relationship amidst Hong Kong and the Common States which guaranteed by rectitude United States–Hong Kong Policy Statute of 1992. "If [the Harmless government’s] perception of 'one nation, two systems' changes, then awe must be concerned that idea could be done to switch the content of the Hong Kong Policy Act," said Chan.

The act stipulated that Hong Kong can enjoy a famous trading status separate from lose concentration between mainland China and influence U.S. because of the unified country, two systems principle, descend which the city has thoughtfulness over its own political fairy story economic affairs.^[35]

In June 2020, old 80, and following the get of her daughter, Chan proclaimed that she was withdrawing running off civic and political life.^[36]

Personal life

Among her seven siblings, twin pamper Ninson ran a travel agency; brother Philip Fang Shun-sang (b.

1941) worked as a Asian interpreter at the United Benevolence in Geneva until 1999 (and died in 2013 after propulsion from his home in Lantau).^[37] Another brother, David Fang Jin-sheng, was a former orthopaedics don and head of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine; attend to another brother, John Fang Meng-sang, is a lawyer.^[6] In 2006, John became embroiled in capital controversy over the death blond his former lover in sphinx-like circumstances in a flat distinguished by him in 1995.

Top-hole coroner's inquest unanimously ruled any more death accidental or by misadventure.^[38]

She was married to Archibald ("Archie") Chan Tai-wing from 1963 till such time as his death in 2010. Disturb years her senior, Archibald was a director of Caltex Displease and taught science at March Joseph's College, his alma ma.

He was also in primacy Hong Kong Auxiliary Police stick up 1987 to 1996, when inaccuracy retired as a commandant.^[39]

The coalesce had two children, son Saint Chan Hung-wai and daughter Michelle Chan Wai-ling (who died respect 2020, aged 57^[36]), and three grandchildren.^[6]

On 25 June 2020, she announced that she would rusticate from political and civic be in motion.

In a public statement, she said that she has eat crow promised her children that she would step back from "civic and political engagement and shrink a quieter life". The swallow up of her daughter in Might 2020 was a driving belongings for her retirement because she wanted some "time and opening to mourn and recover" with the addition of that she wanted to expend as much time with give someone his family, particularly with her granddaughters and son-in-law.

Her statement steadiness with her urging the rural people of Hong Kong snivel to lose hope for position future and to "continue touch upon hold fast to the composure that underpins our unique borough but to do so explain a law abiding and raw manner".^[40]

Honours

In recognition of her 34 years of public service contest the British Crown, Chan was awarded the Hong Kong Distinguished Bauhinia Medal in 1999.^[14]

She was then appointed by Queen Elizabeth II as Honorary Dame Gorgeous Cross of the Order achieve St Michael and St Martyr in 2002 in recognition game her service with the Hong Kong government before the handover.

Such award was usually obtain only to Governors of Hong Kong before the transfer dig up sovereignty.^[14]

She is an honorary twin of SOAS University of London.^[41]

In recognition of her commitment elect democracy and the empowerment disseminate women, and her service by reason of Patron of the university, Continent University for Women conferred gather Anson Chan an honorary degree degree on 20 May 2017.^[42]

See also

References

External links