{{short description|Chief Executive of Hong Kong from 2005 to 2012}} {{family name hatnote|[[Zeng|Tsang]]|Donald Tsang|Tsang Yam Kuen|lang=Hong Kong}} {{Use Hong Kong English|date=October 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = [[The Honourable]] [[Sir]] | name = Donald Tsang | native_name = {{nobold|曾蔭權}} | native_name_lang = zh-hk | honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=HKG|size=100%|GBM|KBE}} | image = File:Donald Tsang WEF.jpg | image_size = | caption = Tsang in 2012 | office = 2nd [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong]] | term_start = 21 June 2005{{efn|name=fn1|Tsang became Acting Chief Executive on 12 March 2005 following Tung's resignation. Tsang stepped down from this role on 25 May 2005 to run in the [[2005 Hong Kong Chief Executive election|election]] to succeed Tung; [[Henry Tang]] became Acting Chief Executive until Tsang was appointed Chief Executive on 21 June 2005.}} | term_end = 30 June 2012 | president = [[Hu Jintao]] | premier = [[Wen Jiabao]] | predecessor = [[Tung Chee-hwa]] | successor = [[Leung Chun-ying]] | office1 = [[Chief Secretary for Administration]] | term_start1 = 1 May 2001 | term_end1 = 31 May 2005 | 1blankname1 = {{nowrap|Chief Executive}} | 1namedata1 = [[Tung Chee-hwa]] | predecessor1 = [[Anson Chan]] | successor1 = [[Rafael Hui]] | office3 = [[Financial Secretary (Hong Kong)|Financial Secretary of Hong Kong]] | term_start3 = 1 July 1997 | term_end3 = 30 April 2001 | 1blankname3 = {{nowrap|Chief Executive}} | 1namedata3 = [[Tung Chee-hwa]] | successor3 = [[Anthony Leung]] | term_start4 = 1 September 1995 | term_end4 = 30 June 1997 | governor4 = [[Chris Patten]] | predecessor4 = [[Hamish Macleod]] | office5 = [[Secretary for the Treasury (Hong Kong)|Secretary for the Treasury]] | term_start5 = 7 May 1993 | term_end5 = 31 March 1995 | governor5 = [[Chris Patten]] | predecessor5 = [[Yeung Kai-yin]] | successor5 = [[Kwong Ki-chi]] | party = [[Independent politician|Independent]] | birth_name = Tsang Yam Kuen | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1944|10|7}} | birth_place = [[Japanese occupation of Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] | blank1 = [[Ancestral home (Chinese)|Origin]] | data1 = [[Nanhai District|Namhoi]], [[Guangdong|Kwangtung]]<ref name="china.com.cn-news1">{{cite news|language=zh-cn|title=曾荫权家乡南海九江镇变成旅游热点|url=http://www.china.com.cn/zhuanti2005/txt/2005-06/17/content_5891916.htm|publisher=[[China Internet Information Center]]|date=17 June 2005|access-date=11 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501125517/http://www.china.com.cn/zhuanti2005/txt/2005-06/17/content_5891916.htm|archive-date=1 May 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> | spouse = {{marriage|Selina Pou Siu-mei|1969}} | children = 2 | education = [[Wah Yan College, Hong Kong|Wah Yan College]] | alma_mater = [[Harvard University]] ([[Master of Public Administration|MPA]]) | profession = Politician, Civil Servant | signature = Donald Tsang Signature.png }} {{Infobox Chinese | title = Donald Tsang Yam-kuen | t = {{linktext|曾|蔭|權}} | s = {{linktext|曾|荫|权}} | p = Zēng Yìnquán | mi = {{IPAc-cmn|z|eng|1|-|yin|4|q|üan|2}} | h = Zen<sup>1</sup> Yim<sup>4</sup> Kien<sup>2</sup><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hkilang.org/NEW_WEB/page/dictionary |title=Search |access-date=2015-05-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701164520/http://www.hkilang.org/NEW_WEB/page/dictionary |archive-date=1 July 2015 |df=dmy-all }} Association for Conversation of Hong Kong Indigenous Languages Online Dictionary for [[Hakka Chinese|Hong Kong Hakka]] and [[Punti|Hong Kong Punti (Weitou dialect)]]</ref> | j = Zang1 Jam3-kyun4 | y = Jāng Yam-kyùhn ''or''<br />Jàng Yam-kyùhn | ci = {{IPAc-yue|z|ang|1|-|j|am|3|.|k|yun|4}} ''or''<br />{{IPA|yue|tsɐ̂ŋ jɐ̄m.kʰy̏ːn|}} | showflag = y }} {{Conservatism in Hong Kong|Politicians}} '''Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen''' {{Post-nominals|country=HKG|GBM|KBE}}{{efn|name=knighthood|Donald Tsang was appointed a KBE in 1997 for the 30-year service to Hong Kong,<ref>{{Cite Hansard|title=Hong Kong|jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom|house=House of Commons|date=27 June 2005|volume=1283–4|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo050627/text/50627w27.htm#50627w27.html_sbhd9}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Hansard|title=Sir Donald Tsang|jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom|house=House of Commons|date=12 July 2005|volume=878|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo050712/text/50712w09.htm#subhd_67}}</ref> and therefore entitled to use the title of "Sir". Tsang, however, chooses not to use the title in an official capacity.<ref>{{Cite Hansard|title=Hong Kong|jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom|house=House of Commons|date=2005-10-17|volume=736|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo051017/text/51017w24.htm#51017w24.html_spnew2}}</ref> If the knighthood is used in the title, the individual shall be called (The Honourable) Sir Donald Tsang.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr11-12/english/panels/ea/papers/ea0326cb1-1430-9-e.pdf | title = Legislative Council of Hong Kong – Meeting record, bottom of the page listed: "Patron: The Honourable Sir Donald Tsang, GBM, KBE" | date = 2011 | publisher = Legislative Council of Hong Kong | access-date = 31 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Donald TSANG Yam Kuen - Citation - HKU Honorary Graduates |url=https://www4.hku.hk/hongrads/citations/honorary-degree-of-doctor-of-laws-donald-yam-kuen-tsang-donald-tsang-yam-kuen |access-date=13 May 2022 |website=HKU|language=en}}</ref>}}<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ceo.gov.hk/archive/2012/eng/biography.htm | title = Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Biography | date = 2006 | publisher = Hong Kong Government | access-date = 2017-10-31 }}</ref> ({{lang-zh|曾蔭權}}; born 7 October 1944) is a former Hong Kong civil servant who served as the second [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong]] from 2005 to 2012.

Tsang joined the [[Hong Kong Civil Service|colonial civil service]] as an Executive Officer in 1967, occupying various positions in local administration, finance and trade before he was appointed [[Financial Secretary (Hong Kong)|Financial Secretary of Hong Kong]] in 1995, becoming the first ethnic Chinese to hold the position under British administration.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Rarity in Hong Kong: Budget Is in Deficit|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/07/business/a-rarity-in-hong-kong-budget-is-in-deficit.html|access-date=11 July 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=7 March 1996|agency=Reuters}}</ref> He continued to serve in the Hong Kong SAR government after 1997 and gained his reputation internationally for his intervention in Hong Kong's stock market in defending the [[Hong Kong dollar]]'s peg to the US dollar during the [[1997 Asian financial crisis]].

Tsang became the [[Chief Secretary for Administration]] in 2001 and ran for the Chief Executive office in [[2005 Hong Kong Chief Executive election|2005]] after the incumbent [[Tung Chee-hwa]] resigned. He served the remaining term of Tung and [[2007 Hong Kong Chief Executive election|was re-elected]] in 2007. He served a full five-year term until he stepped down in 2012. In his seven years of term, he proposed two constitutional reforms in [[2005 Hong Kong electoral reform|2005]] and [[2010 Hong Kong electoral reform|2010]] and saw the second ones passed after he reached a compromise with the [[Pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong|pro-democracy]] legislators, making them the first and only political reform proposals to be passed in the SAR history. He carried out a five-year policy blueprint and ten large-scale infrastructure projects during his term. His popularity began to decline after the introduction of the [[Political Appointments System]] which was marked by controversies and scandals.

In the last months of his term, Tsang was embroiled in various corruption allegations. He was subsequently charged by the [[Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong)|Independent Commission Against Corruption]] and found guilty of one count of misconduct in public office in February 2017 and was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, becoming the highest officeholder in Hong Kong history to be convicted and imprisoned. His name was later cleared when the [[Court of Final Appeal (Hong Kong)|Court of Final Appeal]] unanimously quashed his conviction and sentence in June 2019, on the ground that the trial judge had misdirected the [[jury]].<ref name="finalappeal">{{cite news |last1=Lau |first1=Chris |title=Hong Kong's former leader Donald Tsang to find out whether his misconduct conviction will be quashed in Court of Final Appeal judgment |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3016085/vindication-former-hong-kong-chief-executive-donald |access-date=22 July 2019 |date= 22 July 2019 |agency=South China Morning Post}}</ref>

==Early life and government career== Tsang was born in Hong Kong on 7 October 1944 to a [[Hong Kong Police Force|Hong Kong police officer]]. His family ancestry is from [[Foshan]] in Guangdong. He spent his childhood living in the [[Former Hollywood Road Police Married Quarters|Hollywood Road Police Married Quarters]] in [[Central, Hong Kong]]. After completing his secondary education at [[Wah Yan College, Hong Kong]], a [[Jesuit]] school in Hong Kong, he worked briefly as a salesman at US drug company [[Pfizer Inc.]] before joining the civil service.<ref>{{cite book|title=Biographical Dictionary of New Chinese Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders|first1=Wenxian|last1=Zhang|first2=Ilan|last2=Alon|publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing|year=2009}}</ref>

Tsang joined the Civil Service as an Executive Officer in January 1967 and held many positions dealing with local administration, finance, trade and policies relating to the return of Hong Kong to China. In 1977, Tsang was attached to the [[Asian Development Bank]] in Manila for a year and worked on water supply and railway development projects in the Philippines and Bangladesh.<ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.ceo.gov.hk/archive/2012/eng/biography.htm|title=Biography – Chief Executive|work=Hong Kong Government}}</ref> He was subsequently sent by the government to complete a master's degree in public administration from the [[Harvard Kennedy School|John F. Kennedy School of Government]] of the [[Harvard University]] in 1981.

Tsang was responsible for implementing the [[Sino-British Joint Declaration]], signed in 1984 to decide the Hong Kong's sovereignty to be transferred to China in 1997, and the promotion of the [[British Nationality Selection Scheme]] as Deputy Secretary of the General Duties Branch between 1985 and 1989. In 1989, he was appointed Director of Administration to oversee the functioning of the Government Secretariat. In 1991 he became Director-General of Trade and in charge of all facets of trade negotiation and administration affecting Hong Kong. In May 1993, he was promoted to [[Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury|Secretary for the Treasury]], responsible for the overall resource allocation, the taxation systems and the cost effectiveness of the Hong Kong government.<ref name="bio"/>

==Financial Secretary== In September 1995, Tsang was appointed [[Financial Secretary (Hong Kong)|Financial Secretary]], becoming the first Chinese to hold the position in 150 years of colonial history. He went on to become the first Financial Secretary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on 1 July 1997. Shortly before the [[handover of Hong Kong|handover]], he was knighted by [[Prince Charles]] at [[Government House of Hong Kong|Government House]] in June 1997.<ref name="bio"/>

During his term as Financial Secretary, Tsang coined the term "caring capitalism" in 1996, which describe the governments's approach of giving priority to economic growth and then using the new-found wealth to develop social infrastructure and welfare services.<ref name="Lau">{{cite book|title=Hong Kong's Colonial Legacy|first=Chi Kuen|last=Lau|publisher=Chinese University Press|year=1997|pages=79–80}}</ref> Hong Kong's public spending grew steadily as public revenue remained robust and government budget in surplus. Public expenditure to GDP rose to as high as 23%, though still the lowest among developed economies. He also approved a raise in civil servants' salaries at the beginning of the [[1997 Asian financial crisis]]. The salary raise was finally reversed, aligning civil servants' salaries to 1997 levels.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Tsang was known for his role in defending the [[Hong Kong dollar]]'s peg to the US dollar during the [[1997 Asian financial crisis]] in 1998 from attacks by hedge funds led by [[George Soros]] who he dubbed "crocodiles".<ref>{{cite news|title=Smooth operator takes helm in Hong Kong|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-03/18/content_426156.htm|date=18 March 2005|newspaper=China Daily}}</ref> He joined hand with [[Joseph Yam]], Chief Executive of the [[Hong Kong Monetary Authority]], and bought over $15&nbsp;billion in Hong Kong stock to defend Hong Kong's exchange rate and to make the government the biggest shareholder in many blue chip firms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thomaswhite.com/global-perspectives/donald-tsang-chief-executive-hong-kong/|work=Thomas White|title=Donald Tsang, Chief Executive, Hong Kong|access-date=20 February 2017|archive-date=25 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025221833/http://www.thomaswhite.com/global-perspectives/donald-tsang-chief-executive-hong-kong/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Tsang's action successfully led to the retreat of the hedge funds and earned his reputation internationally. {{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

==Chief Secretary== In 2001, Tsang succeeded [[Anson Chan]] who retired citing personal reasons to be the [[Chief Secretary for Administration]], the second-ranking position in the government. It was widely believed that Chan resigned from the government in protest against [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong|Chief Executive]] [[Tung Chee-hwa]]'s introduction of the [[Principal Officials Accountability System]], which altered the capacity of the Chief Secretary from civil servant to political appointee.<ref name="poas">{{cite book|last=Cheng|first=Joseph Y. S.|year=2007|title=The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Its First Decade. City University of HK Press|pages=32–33}}</ref>

Under the new system, the power of the Chief Secretary as the head of the civil service was largely taken away by the Chief Executive and all ministers would only report to the Chief Executive directly. Donald Tsang found his major task as Chief Secretary was to implement Tung's order to launch a "Team Clean Campaign" to clean up the city in May 2003 after the [[2002–2004 SARS outbreak|SARS outbreak]].<ref name="poas"/>

As he was generally regarded as being sidelined by Tung, Tsang was untainted by major policy blunders, such as the controversy over the [[National Security (Legislative Provisions) Bill 2003|legislation]] of the [[Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23]] which led to a [[Hong Kong July 1 marches#2003|historic massive demonstration]] on 1 July 2003. He remained topping in popularity polls among all the officials in Hong Kong as Chief Secretary.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

==Chief Executive bid== {{main|2005 Hong Kong Chief Executive election}}

On 11 March 2005, incumbent Tung Chee-hwa announced his resignation, citing poor health. Tung's resignation was approved by the [[Central People's Government|central government]] the next day and Tsang took over becoming the acting Chief Executive. After Tung's resignation, Tsang was tipped as Beijing's favoured next Chief Executive. On the afternoon of 25 May 2005, Tsang resigned as Chief Secretary and announced his Chief Executive candidacy on 2 June 2005 after his resignation was accepted by the central government. He [[2005 Hong Kong Chief Executive election|was elected unopposed]] by the 800-member [[Election Committee]] on 16 June 2005 and was formally appointed by the central government as the Chief Executive on 21 June 2005. However, the term of the Chief Executive was disputed, which led to the interpretation of the [[Basic Law of Hong Kong|Basic Law]] by the [[National People's Congress Standing Committee]] on 27 April to clarify that Tsang would only serve out the remaining two years of Tung Chee-hwa's term, rather than the full five years as some legal professionals argued.

==Chief Executive== ===First term (2005–07)=== {{Main|First term of Donald Tsang as Chief Executive of Hong Kong}}

====Economic policies==== In 2006, Tsang proclaimed that "positive non-interventionism" was "past tense" for Hong Kong, which the role of the government was to "facilitate what the market does." Tsang's statement drew criticism locally and internationally, notably from economic philosopher [[Nobel Laureates]] [[Milton Friedman]] who had highly praised Hong Kong's free market economy, [[Edmund Phelps]] and an economist from the [[Chinese Academy of Social Sciences]].<ref name="Yeung"/> Friedman published the article "Hong Kong wrong" on ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' in October 2006 shortly before he died, criticising Tsang for abandoning positive non-interventionism.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hong Kong Wrong|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=6 October 2006|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116009800068684505|first=Milton|last=Friedman}}</ref> [[The Heritage Foundation]], a conservative Washington think tank, formally removed Hong Kong's designation as a bastion of economic freedom. Tsang later vowed his government's commitment to "small government".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ceo.gov.hk/archive/2012/eng/press/oped.htm|first=Donald|last=Tsang|date=18 September 2006|title=Big Market, Small Government}}</ref>

====2007/08 constitutional reform==== {{main|2005 Hong Kong electoral reform}}

Tsang developed a warm relationship with the [[pan-democrats]] during the early months of his first term. Pan-democrat legislator [[Albert Chan]] gave his nomination to Tsang in the Chief Executive election, while [[Albert Cheng (politician)|Albert Cheng]] was seen as Tsang's friend in the [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong|Legislative Council]]. Tsang also appointed some members from the pan-democracy camp to the government positions, including Lau Sai-leung to the [[Central Policy Unit]] which drew the criticism from the traditional [[pro-Beijing camp|Beijing-loyalists]]. On 30 August 2005, Tsang announced that the Guangdong Provincial Government invited all 60 members from the legislative council to visit [[Guangdong]] between 25 and 26 September 2005. This was the first chance for most of the pro-democrats such as [[Martin Lee]] to visit the mainland China since 1989.

The Tsang administration's relationship with the pan-democrats deteriorated after the pro-democrats' rejection of the [[2005 Hong Kong electoral reform|constitutional reform package]] in December 2005. Bounded by the decision by the [[National People's Congress Standing Committee]] in 2004 which ruled out the 2007/2008 Chief Executive and Legislative Council universal suffrage, the Tsang administration put forward a reform package which would expand the 800-member [[Election Committee]] to 1,600 members and add 10 seats to the 2008 Legislative Council, with five directly elected through [[geographical constituencies]] and five [[functional constituency (Hong Kong)|functional constituencies]] elected by District Councillors. The government claimed that this was the best deal they could muster given the constraints of the NPCSC verdict.<ref name="Cheng">{{cite book|title=The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Its First Decade|pages=64–8|first=Joseph Y. S. |last=Cheng|publisher=City University of HK Press|year=2007}}</ref> The proposal failed to gain two-thirds majority of the Legislative Council with four votes short, as 24 pan-democrats vetoed it. He angered democrats, who voted down his proposals, when he referred to them as "horrid animals".<ref>Yau, Cannix (22 December 2005), [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=12&art_id=28500&sid=5998495&con_type=1&d_str=20051222&sear_year=2005 Back to square one for Tsang] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629154449/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=12&art_id=28500&sid=5998495&con_type=1&d_str=20051222&sear_year=2005 |date=29 June 2011 }}, ''The Standard''</ref>

====Action Blue Sky Campaign==== In mid-2006 Tsang launched the "[[Action Blue Sky Campaign]]" and outlined a comprehensive plan to tackle air pollution in Hong Kong and in collaboration with the neighbouring [[Guangdong]]. Scepticism however remained among the expatriate and local population of Hong Kong and, in late November 2006, they ridiculed Tsang for citing the long life expectancy of Hong Kong residents as evidence of Hong Kong's high quality of life relative to other major cities in the East Asian region.<ref>{{cite web |last=Jonathan Cheng |title=Lot of hot air on pollution, claims Tien |date=4 December 2006 |work=[[The Standard (Hong Kong)|The Standard]] |url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=33289&sid=11176569&con_type=1&d_str=20061204&sear_year=2006 |access-date=13 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017180538/http://thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=33289&sid=11176569&con_type=1&d_str=20061204&sear_year=2006 |archive-date=17 October 2007}}</ref>

===2007 re-election=== {{main|2007 Hong Kong Chief Executive election}}

Tsang announced he would seek for the second term on 1 February 2007 with the campaign slogan "I'll get the job done". He submitted his nomination on 16 February, with 641 of the 796 [[Election Committee]] members nominated him which guaranteed his electoral victory before the polling day. He faced challenge from the [[pan-democrats]] who backed [[Civic Party]] legislator [[Alan Leong]] to run against him.

Tsang was elected by the 796-member Election Committee on 25 March 2007 with 649 votes, compared to Leong's 123 votes. It was seen as the first competitive Chief Executive election featuring two candidates from different political camp with debates held between the candidates which changed Hong Kong's political culture.

===Second term (2007–12)=== {{Main|Second term of Donald Tsang as Chief Executive of Hong Kong}}

====Five-year policy blueprint==== [[File:Rice - Tsang MG 9680 600.jpg|thumb|Donald Tsang meeting with [[United States Secretary of State|US Secretary of State]] [[Condoleezza Rice]] at the [[APEC Australia 2007]].]] Following his re-election as the Chief Executive in 2007, Tsang set out the 5-year blueprint for the third term of the SAR government in his 2007–08 [[policy address]]. He stressed the importance of "progressive development", a core element of which is the promotion of community development through revitalisation of the built heritage in the city which is to be realised by promoting economic development through infrastructure projects. Ten large-scale infrastructure projects were also proposed within his term of office to boost economic activities to improve the living environment in Hong Kong: (1) [[MTR]] [[South Island line|Southern District Extension]]; (2) MTR [[Sha Tin to Central Link]]; (3) Tuen Mun Western Bypass and [[Tuen Mun–Chek Lap Kok Link]]; (4) [[Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link]]; (5) [[Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge]]; (6) Hong Kong-Shenzhen Airport Co-operation; (7) Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Development of the [[Lok Ma Chau]] Loop; (8) [[West Kowloon Cultural District]]; (9) [[Kai Tak Development|Kai Tak Development Plan]]; and (10) New Development Areas at [[Kwu Tung|Kwu Tung North]], [[Fanling|Fanling North]], [[Ping Che]] and [[Ta Kwu Ling]] and [[Hung Shui Kiu]].

====Heritage conservation==== The Tsang administration embattled with the conservation movement which reach its peak in the late 2000s, including the protests against the demolitions of the [[Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier|Star Ferry Pier]] and the [[Queen's Pier]]. In response to it, Tsang set up a Commissioner for Heritage Office and earmarked $1&nbsp;billion to revitalise historic buildings. He also proposed a series of revitalisation projects that would add a new dimension to Central. For instance, to reduce the development density of the Central Ferry Piers site and open up the public space along the waterfront for entertainment, recreational and cultural uses; to remove the [[Central Market, Hong Kong|Central Market]] from the Application List and hand it over to the [[Urban Renewal Authority]] for conservation and revitalisation; and to convert the [[Murray Building]] into a hotel through open tender etc.

====Political Appointments System==== {{Main|Political Appointments System}}

In 2008, the Tsang administration introduced the [[Political Appointments System]], by superseding the [[Principal Officials Accountability System]] (POAS) and inserting two layers of politically appointed officials below the secretaries, who are political appointees. The appointees' foreign nationalities, experience and remuneration levels, and transparency of the selection process were widely criticism by the public, which led to Tsang to offer a public apology, saying: "With hindsight, I admit the arrangements in this regard did not fully meet public expectations, and I apologise for the controversy this has caused."<ref name=apologises>{{cite web |author=Bonnie Chen |url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=67028&sid=19293866&con_type=3&d_str=20080611&sear_year |title=Chief apologises over salary secrecy |work=The Standard |location=Hong Kong |date=11 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522081338/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=67028&sid=19293866&con_type=3&d_str=20080611&sear_year |archive-date=22 May 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The controversy became the turning point of the popularity of the Tsang government. A poll showed Tsang's popularity declining sharply following the three-week row over the introduction of the [[Political Appointments System]]; his disapproval rating rose from 18% to a record 24%, while his approval rating declined from 66% to 60.8% in the space of three weeks.<ref>Eva Wu, "Chief's ratings fall", Pg A3, ''[[South China Morning Post]]'', 11 June 2008</ref> His approval/disapproval rating continued to deteriorate, and stood at 39/41% as at late August 2008.<ref name=popularity>{{cite web|url= http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20080827/news_20080827_56_517961.htm|title= Approval rating for CE record low|publisher= [[RTHK]]|date= 27 August 2008|access-date= 27 July 2008|archive-date= 17 September 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090917142859/http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20080827/news_20080827_56_517961.htm|url-status= dead}}</ref>

====Great Recession==== After [[Great Recession]] led to a steep rise in unemployment especially among the banking and finance industries, Tsang announced on 8 December 2008 to create 60,000 jobs in 2009 by speeding up infrastructure projects and a ten-fold increase in its loan guarantee scheme for small and medium-sized enterprises. The Tsang government also quickly formed a Task Force on Economic Challenges to deal with the recession. Tsang came up with six economic sectors to explore with the recommendations of the Task Force in his 2009–10 policy address: (1) testing and certification, (2) medical services, (3) innovation and technology, (4) cultural and creative industries, (5) environmental industry, and (6) educational services. The government pledged to provide more concrete support in those sectors and called them as the "new economic pillars". After a year of negative record of GDP growth rate, the Hong Kong economy recovered quickly from 2010, despite the poverty population keep growing under Tsang tenure.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Second Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR: Evaluating the Tsang Years 2005–2012|first=Joseph Y. S.|last=Cheng|publisher=City University of HK Press|year=2013}}</ref>

==== Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link ==== {{Main|Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link Hong Kong Section}}

In 2009, the government proposal of the [[Hong Kong Express Rail Link|Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link Hong Kong section]] sparked concerns over the significant cost escalations compared to estimates made one year previously, the conservation of the Choi Yuen village and the increasing Mainland–Hong Kong integration. The government's plan drew more than 10,000 people protesting against the construction of the rail link in late 2009 and early 2010.<ref>[http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_id=91254&sid=26254076&con_type=1&d_str=20091130&fc=1 Angry rail-link protesters clash with police] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604143231/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_id=91254&sid=26254076&con_type=1&d_str=20091130&fc=1 |date=4 June 2011 }}, ''The Standard'', 30 November 2009</ref> Despite the controversy and strong opposition from the community, the [[Executive Council of Hong Kong|Executive Council]] approved the implementation on 20 October 2009.<ref name=hkgov200910200166>[http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200910/20/P200910200166.htm ExCo approves implementation of high-speed rail link], Hong Kong Government, 20 October 2009</ref> Appropriations for the project of $64&nbsp;billion were passed by the Legislative Council on 16 January 2010 with the objections of the pro-democracy legislators.<ref>Song, Shengxia (18 January 2010), [http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6871325.html Hongkongers protest vote on high-speed rail], ''People's Daily'', ''Global Times''. Retrieved 28 January 2010</ref>

====2012 constitutional reform==== {{Main|2010 Hong Kong electoral reform|Act Now (slogan)}}

The Tsang administration launched the proposals for electoral reform for the 2012 Chief Executive and Legislative Council elections in November 2009 which largely similar to the 2005 proposals.<ref>Chiang, Scarlett (19 November 2009), [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=90818&sid=26144030&con_type=1&d_str=20091119&sear_year=2009 'Don't miss this crucial step'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604144751/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=90818&sid=26144030&con_type=1&d_str=20091119&sear_year=2009 |date=4 June 2011 }}, ''The Standard''</ref> To oppose the proposal, five pan-democrat legislators resigned from the Legislative Council to trigger a [[2010 Hong Kong by-election|territory-wide by-election]] in which they campaigned as the "Five Constituencies Referendum" for universal suffrage and the abolition of the [[Functional constituency (Hong Kong)|functional constituencies]].

Following the by-election, the government stepped up efforts to gain support for the reform package. It commissioned two television advertisements which emphasised the need to move forwards with democratisation. Tsang began to campaign via radio interviews, and he and his ministers took to the streets to mobilise support. On the weekend of 29/30 May, Tsang and his ministers toured Hong Kong on an unpublicised itinerary to deliver flyers and meet the public.<ref>Moy, Patsy & Siu, Beatrice (31 May 2010). [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=98808&sid=28425298&con_type=1&d_str=20100531&sear_year=2010 "Slow start in ground attack"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629171744/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=98808&sid=28425298&con_type=1&d_str=20100531&sear_year=2010 |date=29 June 2011 }}, ''The Standard''</ref> Tsang described as "myths" which surrounded the proposals – that it is regressive, it makes little difference whether it is passed or not, and that ordinary people are not concerned by political developments. He said they were "the first step as well as the last opportunity" to lay the foundation for a chief executive elected by universal suffrage in 2017. He expressed his fear that "a mood of pessimism and cynicism will take root" if there was no progress this time.<ref>Moy, Patsy (31 May 2010). [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=98807&sid=28424466&con_type=1&d_str=20100531&sear_year=2010 "Tsang turns up heat"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629171801/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=98807&sid=28424466&con_type=1&d_str=20100531&sear_year=2010 |date=29 June 2011 }}</ref> Tsang also invited [[Audrey Eu]] of the Civic Party, the spokesperson of the "Five Constituencies Referendum" to a one-hour televised debate on 17 June. Pundits were unanimous that Eu had trounced Tsang in the debate, with the [[University of Hong Kong]] poll showed that 45% of people were "more opposed" to the government's proposals after the debate, while 20% said they were more supportive.<ref>Bloomberg (18 June 2010). [http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-18/hong-kong-s-tsang-loses-democracy-debate-polls-show-update1-.html "Hong Kong's Tsang Loses Democracy Debate, Polls Show (Update1)"]{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''Bloomberg BusinessWeek''</ref>

The central government made a U-turn on the moderate democrats' modified proposal tabled by the [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]] on 19 June, after ''[[South China Morning Post]]'' (SCMP) revealed that Donald Tsang had written a letter the previous week to [[Xi Jinping]], vice-president [[Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs|in charge of Hong Kong affairs]]. "The chief executive warned in the letter that Hong Kong could face a serious governance crisis if the electoral reform package was vetoed by Legco again, and his ability to govern Hong Kong effectively would be in doubt". The SCMP source said [[Chinese Communist Party]] general secretary [[Hu Jintao]] personally approved the Democratic Party's proposals.<ref name=uturn>Cheung, Gary (22 June 2010) "Beijing's U-turn 'to thwart radicals'", ''South China Morning Post''</ref> With the moderate democrats' support, the proposals were approved by the Legislative Council, making it the first and only electoral reform to be passed in the SAR history.

====Minimum Wage legislation==== Facing the increasing disparity between rich and poor in his term, Tsang set up a Minimum Wage Provisional Commission in February 2009 to research and eventually set a proposed wage floor.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200902/27/P200902270192.htm|publisher=Government of Hong Kong|date=27 February 2009|access-date=18 April 2011|title=Provisional Minimum Wage Commission appointed}}</ref> The [[Minimum Wage Ordinance|Minimum Wage Bill]] was passed on 15 July 2010 and a HK$28 (~US$3.60) per hour rate was recommended by the Provisional Minimum Wage Commission and adopted by the Chief Executive-in-Council on 10 November 2010.<ref name="Info.gov.hk">{{citation|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201011/10/P201011100222.htm|title=Chief Executive-in-Council adopts initial statutory minimum wage rate|publisher=Government of Hong Kong|date=10 November 2010|access-date=12 November 2010}}</ref>

====Corruption allegations==== In the last months of his tenure, Tsang was embroiled in a series of corruption allegations. In February 2012 during the [[2012 Hong Kong Chief Executive election|Chief Executive election]] in which contender [[Henry Tang]], the former [[Chief Secretary for Administration|Chief Secretary]] in Tsang's government suffered in wide range of scandals, Tsang was also discovered by the ''[[Oriental Daily News]]'' to have received favours and hospitality from business tycoons on various occasions, including private jet and yacht trips and was labelled as "Greedy Tsang".

The allegations of preferential allocation of a luxury three-storey penthouse in Shenzhen surfaced after Tsang addressed the press by saying that he and his wife had chosen to live in Shenzhen for a period after his retirement as they wanted to stay away from the limelight. Tsang was accused for allocating the Shenzhen penthouse owned by Bill Wong Cho-bau to Tsang in exchange for granting of a broadcasting licence to the Wong's [[Digital Broadcasting Corporation (Hong Kong)|Digital Broadcasting Corporation]] (DBC, then Wave Media).<ref name=20120227hks>Luk, Eddie (27 February 2012). [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=120109&sid=35550457&con_type=1&d_str=20120227&isSearch=1&sear_year=2012 "Tsang denies license link to penthouse deal"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907081819/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=120109&sid=35550457&con_type=1&d_str=20120227&isSearch=1&sear_year=2012 |date=7 September 2013 }}. ''The Standard''</ref> It was reported that Tsang was set to rent the flat at a substantially discounted rate while renovation works, provided by the developer, were tailored to the demands of Tsang's wife. Tsang argued that declaration was not necessary and that his lease did not affect the government's decision on granting the broadcasting licence to DBC. He also argued that the lease was at market value.<ref name=20120227hks/>

Tsang was later summoned to answer questions from an open inquiry by the Legislative Council. This unprecedented revelations and move to impeach him launched by a pro-Beijing legislator [[Paul Tse]] shook the confidence in integrity of the city's officials.<ref name=20120229hkstan>Luk, Eddie (29 February 2012). [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=120195&sid=35572939&con_type=3&d_str=20120229&isSearch=1&sear_year=2012 "Impeachment pressure grows"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208182721/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=120195&sid=35572939&con_type=3&d_str=20120229&isSearch=1&sear_year=2012 |date=8 December 2015 }}. ''The Standard''.</ref> Tsang also set up an Independent Review Committee for the Prevention and Handling of Potential Conflicts of Interests chaired by former [[Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal]] [[Andrew Li]] on 26 February 2012 to review the existing frameworks and procedures for preventing and handling of potential conflicts of interests concerning the Chief Executive and other top officials.

In the last month of his office, Tsang fought back tears as he offered "sincere apologies" on 1 June, when he said: "I know that my mishandling of the various events has undermined the community's confidence in the integrity of the system and has disappointed my colleagues in the civil service. For this I would like to, once again, offer my sincere apologies."<ref>{{cite news|title=CE's remarks at media session|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201206/01/P201206010546.htm|work=Hong Kong Government|date=1 June 2012}}</ref> He stepped down as the Chief Executive on 30 June 2012 under the cloud of an investigation by the [[Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong)|Independent Commission Against Corruption]] (ICAC).<ref name="icac-1">{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/f5055f20-628b-11e1-872e-00144feabdc0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f5055f20-628b-11e1-872e-00144feabdc0.html |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription|title=Hong Kong's Tsang faces corruption probe|author=Enid Tsui| work =Financial Times|date=29 February 2012|access-date=25 July 2013}}</ref> Compared to his predecessor [[Tung Chee-hwa]] who was appointed vice-chairman of the [[Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference]] (CPPCC) after stepping down as Chief Executive, Tsang was not appointed any position by the central government after his retirement.

==Conviction, imprisonment, and acquittal== On 5 October 2015, Tsang was charged with two counts of [[misconduct in public office]] after failing to disclose plans to rent a luxury penthouse for his retirement from Bill Wong Cho-bau applying for a broadcasting licence for the [[Digital Broadcasting Corporation]] (then Wave Media) by the [[Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong)|Independent Commission Against Corruption]] (ICAC), as well as failing to declare renowned interior designer Barrie Ho Chow-lai's engagement for decorating the penthouse when he recommended to the relevant government committee that Ho should receive an honour.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Hong Kong ICAC – Press Releases – Ex-Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen faces charges of misconduct|url = http://www.icac.org.hk/en/pr/index_uid_1738.html|publisher = icac.org.hk|access-date = 5 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The rise and fall of 'Hong Kong boy' Donald Tsang|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2071863/rise-and-fall-hong-kong-boy-donald-tsang|date=17 February 2017|newspaper=South China Morning Post}}</ref> An extra count of accepting an advantage from an agent for violating the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance over the Shenzhen penthouse was added on 11 October 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2026965/former-hong-kong-leader-donald-tsang-face-additional|title=Former Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang faces additional bribery charge over Shenzhen penthouse|newspaper=South China Morning Post|access-date=11 October 2016}}</ref>

After entering pleas of not guilty to all charges, his trial began before a jury on 10 January 2017.<ref>{{cite news|date=11 January 2017|newspaper=Hong Kong Free Press|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/01/11/ex-chief-exec-donald-tsang-abused-power-hopelessly-compromised-prosecutors-say/|title=Ex-Chief Exec. Donald Tsang abused power and was 'hopelessly compromised', prosecutors say|access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref> On 17 February 2017, the jury found Tsang guilty on one charge of misconduct in public office over the penthouse rental and not guilty on the misconduct charge for the penthouse decoration, but failed to reach a verdict on the count of accepting an advantage from an agent.<ref>{{cite news|date=17 February 2017|newspaper=Hong Kong Free Press|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/02/17/ex-hong-kong-leader-guilty-misconduct-corruption-trial/|title=Ex-Hong Kong leader guilty of misconduct in corruption trial|access-date=18 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=HKSAR v. TSANG YAM KUEN, DONALD [2017] HKCFI 640; HCCC 484/2015 (22 February 2017)|date=2017-02-22|publisher=Court of First Instance; Hong Kong Legal Information Institute|url=http://www.hklii.hk/cgi-bin/sinodisp/eng/hk/cases/hkcfi/2017/640.html?stem=&synonyms=&query=donald%20tsang}}</ref> He was sentenced to a 20-month imprisonment on 22 February 2017.<ref>{{cite news|date=22 February 2017|newspaper=The Straits Times|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/former-hong-kong-chief-executive-donald-tsang-jailed-20-months-for-misconduct-in-high|title=Former Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang jailed 20 months for misconduct in high-profile corruption trial|access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref> When he announced Tsang's sentence, Mr Justice [[Andrew Chan (judge)|Andrew Chan Hing-wai]] said "never in my judicial career have I seen a man fallen from so high."<ref>{{cite news|title=A man fallen from so high – Former chief executive Donald Tsang jailed for 20 months|url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=179992|date=23 February 2017|newspaper=The Standard}}</ref>

On 24 April, Tsang granted bail by court after his health was fluctuating and had to be sent to the [[Queen Mary Hospital (Hong Kong)|Queen Mary Hospital]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Former leader Donald Tsang granted bail by Hong Kong court|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2090032/former-hong-kong-leader-donald-tsangs-health-fluctuating|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=24 April 2017}}</ref> Regarding the charge which had a guilty verdict, Tsang gets bail pending appeal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ejinsight.com/20170425-donald-tsang-gets-bail-pending-appeal/|title=Donald Tsang gets bail pending appeal|date=26 April 2017|work=EJ Insight}}</ref> Regarding the charge which "failed to reach a verdict", a retrial was carried out, and the Judge dismissed the retrial-jury on 3 November 2017 after they too were unable to reach a verdict.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2118106/former-hong-kong-leader-donald-tsang-avoids-conviction-now|title=Former Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang avoids conviction on bribery charge – for now – as jury unable to reach verdict|date=3 November 2017|work=South China Morning Post}}</ref> Prosecution has not applied for a third trial.<ref>{{cite news|work=The Standard|url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news.php?id=99186|title=(Donald Tsang trial) Prosecutors will not seek retrial|date=6 November 2017}}</ref>

On 11 January 2019, Tsang was admitted to hospital for health reasons, a few days ahead of his scheduled release from prison.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/2181822/former-hong-kong-leader-donald-tsang-taken-hospital|title=Former Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang taken to hospital ahead of release from prison|publisher=SCMP|date=2019-01-12|access-date=2019-01-15}}</ref> On 15 January, Tsang was released from hospital and also from jail.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/2182058/disgraced-former-hong-kong-leader-donald-tsang-freed|title=Former Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang says time with wife is top priority after completing 12-month jail term for misconduct in public office|publisher=SCMP|date=2019-01-15|access-date=2019-01-15}}</ref> Upon his release, Tsang refused to compare his case with that of his successor Leung Chun-ying, who was also accused of corruption for his recipient of [[Leung Chun-ying-UGL agreement|HK$50 million from Australian firm UGL]] without disclosure, even though Leung's case was dropped by the government in a controversial manner. "If I make comparisons, it may revive my anger and hatred in my heart. I have cleared these through working hard to pray and receive blessings from the heavens a few months ago," Tsang said. He also said he would persist in seeking justice and clear his name.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ex-Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang released from jail, vows to persist in 'seeking justice'|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/01/15/ex-hong-kong-leader-donald-tsang-released-jail-vows-persist-seeking-justice/|date=15 January 2019|work=Hong Kong Free Press}}</ref>

On 26 June 2019, the [[Court of Final Appeal (Hong Kong)|Court of Final Appeal]] unanimously quashed his conviction and sentence, after finding that the trial judge had failed to direct his jurors properly.<ref name="finalappeal" /> The Court found that the trial court trial did not adequately instruct the jury on required elements of the crime.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2019-06-26 |title=Donald Tsang wins final appeal against criminal misconduct sentence |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3016085/vindication-former-hong-kong-chief-executive-donald |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref> Since Tsang was not convicted for bribery, the elements of "wilfulness" and "seriousness" in the misconduct in public office charge became especially important, and an adequate explanation was not given to the jury.<ref name=":0" /> The Court also decided that the interests of justice did not require a new trial.<ref name=":0" />

As a result of his successful appeal, Tsang should be able to reclaim some of the estimated HK$40 to 50 million of legal costs over two trials and two appeals.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2019-06-26 |title=What now for Donald Tsang after quashed misconduct conviction? |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3016235/what-now-hong-kong-former-chief-executive-donald-tsang |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref> Tsang had said he and his wife spent almost all their savings on the lawsuit.<ref name=":1" /> But Tsang is unlikely to reclaim his costs fully, including the initial trial and legal costs related to his investigation.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Standard |first=The |title=Counting the cost of agonizing $40m struggle |url=https://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news/section/11/209083/Counting-the-cost-of-agonizing-$40m-struggle |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=The Standard |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Another outcome of the appeal is that Tsang's entitlement to HK$80,000 a month in civil servants' pension will no longer be in jeopardy.<ref name=":2" /> Retired Hong Kong civil servants could lose all or part of their pension if they were convicted of an offence related to their office, subject to the chief executive's approval.<ref name=":1" />

==Personal life== [[File:Don&Selina.jpg|thumb|Donald Tsang and his wife, Selina, [[Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom|Lady]] Tsang, in 2008.]] Tsang is the eldest of the five sons and one daughter. His younger brother [[Tsang Yam Pui|Tsang Yam-pui]], retired as the [[Commissioner of Police (Hong Kong)|Police Commissioner]] in December 2003, after a career with the police in which he worked his way up to the top job from the rank of Probationary Inspector. His younger sister Katherine Tsang is chairperson of [[Standard Chartered Hong Kong]].<ref>[http://www.standardchartered.com.hk/news/2011/press_20110110.pdf Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited Appoints Katherine Tsang as New Chairperson] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725082026/http://www.standardchartered.com.hk/news/2011/press_20110110.pdf |date=25 July 2011 }}, SCB press release, 10 January 2011</ref><ref>[http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=21&art_id=106904&sid=30866093&con_type=1&d_str=20110111&fc=4 Tsang sister moves up the ladder] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629202318/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=21&art_id=106904&sid=30866093&con_type=1&d_str=20110111&fc=4 |date=29 June 2011 }}, ''The Standard'', 11 January 2011</ref> He married Selina Pou Siu-mei in 1969 and has two sons, Simon Tsang Hing-yin and Thomas Tsang Hing-shun.

Tsang is a devout [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] and goes to [[Mass in the Catholic Church|Mass]] every morning, though his political viewpoints were bluntly criticised at times by [[Joseph Cardinal Zen]], who was the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong|Bishop of Hong Kong]] during Tsang's term as Chief Executive.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Donald-Tsang%27s-faith-is-no-guarantee-of-good-leadership,-says-Bishop-Zen-2755.html|title=Donald Tsang's faith is no guarantee of good leadership, says Bishop Zen|date=12 March 2005|newspaper=AsiaNews.it}}</ref>

Tsang is well known for his preference of wearing [[bow tie|bow-ties]]. According to [[Associated Press]], "the bow tie is such an integral part of Tsang's identity that he is nicknamed "Bow-tie Tsang".<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/fashion/tsang-loves-his-bow-ties/2005/07/12/1120934222121.html] No byline, "Tsang loves his bow ties", article attributed to the Associated Press appearing in ''[[The Age]]'', July 15, 2005, accessed January 18, 2007</ref> His nickname is widely known among Hong Kong people. According to a television interview, this preference started somewhere between 1988 and 1993, when Tsang's office was adjacent to Deputy Political Adviser [[Stephen Bradley (diplomat)|Stephen Bradley]], who himself wore bow-ties. Tsang felt comfortable with a bow-tie Bradley gave him, saying that its design brings fewer hurdles to its wearer than a necktie.<ref>Episode 17, [[Be My Guest (talk show)|Be My Guest]], originally broadcast on 23 September 2006</ref>

Tsang is well known for keeping [[koi]]. He had a pond built for them in the garden of his official residence, [[Government House, Hong Kong|Government House]], at a cost of HK$300,000.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.scmp.com/article/603228/scales-fortune|title=Scales of fortune|date=7 August 2007|newspaper=South China Morning Post}}</ref> His other hobbies include swimming, bird-watching and hiking.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hkfederation.org.hk/forum/forum2011/programme/CV/2nd_Lucheon_Donald_Tsang.pdf|title=The Hon Donald Tsang, GBM – Chief Executive – Hong Kong Special Administrative Region|work=The 12th Hong Kong Forum|access-date=24 April 2017|archive-date=25 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425030629/http://www.hkfederation.org.hk/forum/forum2011/programme/CV/2nd_Lucheon_Donald_Tsang.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=BIG SPENDER：誰趕走了家燕|newspaper=蘋果日報|date=2013-01-10|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/financeestate/art/20130110/18128914}}</ref>

==Footnotes== {{Notelist}}

==See also== * [[Politics of Hong Kong]] * [[List of bow tie wearers]] * [[List of heads of regimes who were later imprisoned]]

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{Wikiquote}} {{Commons category|Donald Tsang}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080512015438/http://www.ceo.gov.hk/eng/biography.htm Official Biography about Tsang] *[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4335331.stm BBC News: Profile: Donald Tsang] * [https://digital.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/corpus/ Corpus of Political Speeches] : Free access to political speeches by Donald Tsang and other Chinese politicians, developed by Hong Kong Baptist University Library

{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before = [[Yeung Kai-yin]]}} {{s-ttl|title = [[Secretary for the Treasury (Hong Kong)|Secretary for the Treasury]]|years = 1993–1995}} {{s-aft|after = [[Kwong Ki-chi]]}} {{s-bef|before = [[Hamish Macleod]]}} {{s-ttl|title = [[Financial Secretary (Hong Kong)|Financial Secretary of Hong Kong]]|years = 1995–2001}} {{s-aft|after = [[Antony Leung]]}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before = [[Anson Chan]]}} {{s-ttl|title = [[Chief Secretary for Administration]]|years = 2001–2005}} {{s-aft|after = [[Rafael Hui]]}} {{s-bef|before = [[Tung Chee Hwa|Tung Chee-hwa]]|rows=2}} {{s-ttl|title = [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong]]|years= 2005–2012}} {{s-aft|after = [[Leung Chun-ying]]|rows=2}} |- {{s-ttl|title=President of [[Executive Council of Hong Kong|Executive Council]]|years=2005–2012}} {{s-prec}} {{s-bef|before = [[Tung Chee Hwa|Tung Chee-hwa]]<br /><small>''Former Chief Executives''</small>}} {{s-ttl|title = [[Hong Kong order of precedence]]<br /><small>''Former Chief Executives''</small>}} {{s-aft|after= [[Leung Chun-ying]]<br /><small>''Former Chief Executives''</small>}} {{S-end}}

{{Hong Kong Chief Executive}} {{Candidates in the Hong Kong Chief Executive election, 2007}} {{Candidates in the Hong Kong Chief Executive election, 2005}} {{Chief Secretary for Administration}} {{Financial Secretary (Hong Kong)}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tsang, Donald}} [[Category:1944 births]] [[Category:Chief executives of Hong Kong]] [[Category:Chief secretaries of Hong Kong]] [[Category:Cantonese people]] [[Category:Financial secretaries of Hong Kong]] [[Category:Government officials of Hong Kong]] [[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni]] [[Category:Hong Kong Roman Catholics]] [[Category:Hong Kong columnists]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Hong Kong]] [[Category:Recipients of the Grand Bauhinia Medal]] [[Category:Alumni of Wah Yan]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century Chinese politicians]] [[Category:People from Nanhai, Foshan]] [[Category:21st-century Chinese politicians]] [[Category:20th-century Hong Kong people]] [[Category:21st-century Hong Kong people]] [[Category:Heads of state and government who were later imprisoned]]