Three Condolence Venues Opened for Tung Chee-hwa: Residents Choke Back Tears to Bid Farewell to “Uncle Tung”

Former Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the first two-term Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, Tung Chee-hwa, passed away on the 8th of this month at the age of 89.

Starting on Friday, the Home Affairs Department has set up condolence venues for three consecutive days at three locations—in Causeway Bay, Kai Tak and Tsuen Wan—for the public to sign the condolence registers.

Former Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the first two-term Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, Tung Chee-hwa, passed away on the 8th of this month. The Home Affairs Department has set up condolence venues for three consecutive days at three locations—in Causeway Bay, Kai Tak and Tsuen Wan—for the public to sign the condolence registers. Photo by Bastille Post reporter.

Former Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the first two-term Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, Tung Chee-hwa, passed away on the 8th of this month. The Home Affairs Department has set up condolence venues for three consecutive days at three locations—in Causeway Bay, Kai Tak and Tsuen Wan—for the public to sign the condolence registers. Photo by Bastille Post reporter.

Former Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the first two-term Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, Tung Chee-hwa, passed away on the 8th of this month. The Home Affairs Department has set up condolence venues for three consecutive days at three locations—in Causeway Bay, Kai Tak and Tsuen Wan—for the public to sign the condolence registers. Photo by Bastille Post reporter.

At the condolence venue in the Moreton Terrace Activity Centre, Causeway Bay, former Member of the Legislative Councillor and former Chairman of the Wan Chai District Council, Peggy Lam Pei Yu-dja, also attended on Friday to sign the register and pay tribute to Tung.

At the condolence venue in the Moreton Terrace Activity Centre, Causeway Bay, former Member of the Legislative Councillor and former Chairman of the Wan Chai District Council, Peggy Lam Pei Yu-dja, also payed her tribute to Tung on Friday. Photo by Bastille Post.

At the condolence venue in the Moreton Terrace Activity Centre, Causeway Bay, former Member of the Legislative Councillor and former Chairman of the Wan Chai District Council, Peggy Lam Pei Yu-dja, also payed her tribute to Tung on Friday. Photo by Bastille Post.

At the condolence venue in the Moreton Terrace Activity Centre, Causeway Bay, former Member of the Legislative Councillor and former Chairman of the Wan Chai District Council, Peggy Lam Pei Yu-dja, also payed her tribute to Tung on Friday. Photo by Bastille Post.

At the condolence venue in the Moreton Terrace Activity Centre, Causeway Bay, former Member of the Legislative Councillor and former Chairman of the Wan Chai District Council, Peggy Lam Pei Yu-dja, also payed her tribute to Tung on Friday. Photo by Bastille Post.

She said frankly that Tung’s contributions to Hong Kong were there for all to see, and that his passing had left everyone deeply saddened. In her view, Tung was not only the first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR but also a business leader, and his contributions were beyond words.

Peggy Lam Pei Yu-dja said she wrote in the register that Hong Kong people would always cherish the memory of Tung, because he was someone who devoted himself to Hong Kong and to the country. She described Tung as modest, kindly and deeply concerned about people and affairs—a good man who attended to matters personally. In her words, many policies were formulated by him and are now being implemented gradually, and his vision was extraordinarily grand and far-reaching.

The three condolence venues are the Moreton Terrace Activity Centre in Causeway Bay, Kai Tak Community Hall, and the Sai Lau Kok Garden Multi-purpose Activity Room in Tsuen Wan. Opening hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Sunday.

At the Moreton Terrace venue, the condolence area is set up in the first-floor hall. A photograph of Tung is placed in the centre, flanked by white flowers. Above the hall, the wording “Deeply Mourning Mr Tung Chee-hwa” is projected, and the condolence registers are placed on a long table. Residents came to sign and pay their respects.

Many Hong Kong residents also attended to mourn Tung. Ms. Tso, a native Hong Konger, said that “as the first Chief Executive, Uncle Tung had a tremendous impact on Hong Kong.” She noted that although many policies could not be completed during his term, she believed he served Hong Kong wholeheartedly and used his international influence on the city’s behalf.

Hong Kong resident, Ms. Tso. By Bastille Post reporter.

Another resident, Ms. Leung, choked up during the interview. She said that as Hong Kong’s first Chief Executive, Tung richly deserved people’s respect. Although some around him held different ideals, he made enormous contributions to the country and to Hong Kong society, and his character and principles were deeply admirable. Ms. Leung pointed out that, as the first Chief Executive under “one country, two systems,” Tung faced unimaginable difficulties. What she remembered most was his “85,000 housing target”, and she regretted that it came at the wrong time.

Hong Kong resident, Ms. Leung. By Bastille Post reporter.

By Bastille Post reporter.

By Bastille Post reporter.

By Bastille Post reporter.

Statistics on persons engaged and vacancies for June 2026

According to the statistics on persons engaged and vacancies released today (September 18) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total number of persons engaged in the private sector surveyed decreased by 0.1% or 2 100 persons in June 2026 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 45 380, representing a decrease of 8% or 4 150 over the preceding year.

Persons engaged statistics

In June 2026, the selected industries as a whole engaged 2 697 400 persons. The import and export trade engaged 342 800 persons, followed by professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 314 100 persons, financing and insurance 234 300 persons, retail trade 227 500 persons, and food and beverage services 218 100 persons.

Movements in the number of persons engaged in different surveyed industries varied when compared with a year earlier. Increases were mainly observed in the industries of accommodation services (6.0% or 2 200 persons), real estate (3.5% or 5 100 persons), and residential care and social work services (1.7% or 1 300 persons). On the other hand, the number of persons engaged decreased mainly in the industries of wholesale (-1.9% or -800 persons), manufacturing (-1.8% or -1 400 persons), import and export trade (-1.4% or -4 700 persons), and transportation, storage, postal and courier services (-1.3% or -2 100 persons). Number of persons engaged for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.

Vacancies statistics

Among the 45 380 private sector vacancies in June 2026, 4 920 were from the industry of financing and insurance, 4 560 from education, 4 450 from residential care and social work services, 4 080 from professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), and 3 530 from food and beverage services.

Vacancies decreased in many selected industries in June 2026 over a year earlier. Decreases were mainly observed in the industries of real estate (-810 or -23%), education (-740 or -14%), professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (-730 or -15%), and human health services (-620 or -18%). On the other hand, vacancies increased mainly in the industries of residential care and social work services (310 or 8%), and transportation, storage, postal and courier services (140 or 4%). Job vacancies figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 2.

Analysed by major occupation category, private sector vacancies were observed mainly in the categories of services and sales workers (15 330 vacancies), associate professionals (8 910 vacancies), and professionals (7 580 vacancies). Job vacancies figures by major occupation category are shown in Table 3.

Seasonally adjusted statistics

For discerning the latest trend in the number of persons engaged and vacancies in the private sector, it is useful to look at changes over a three-month period in the respective seasonally adjusted figures. Compared with March 2026, the seasonally adjusted total number of persons engaged and total vacancies in the surveyed industries decreased by 0.1% and 4.6% respectively in June 2026. The changes over three-month periods in the seasonally adjusted series of persons engaged and vacancies are shown in Table 4.

Other information

The above statistics on persons engaged and vacancies were obtained from the Quarterly Survey of Employment and Vacancies and the Quarterly Employment Survey of Construction Sites conducted by the C&SD. In the former survey, some economic activities (e.g. those dominated by self-employment, including taxi operators and hawkers) are not covered. Therefore, the respective figures for persons engaged and vacancies relate only to those selected industries included in the survey. In the latter survey on construction sites, the number of persons engaged and vacancies relate to manual workers only.

A detailed breakdown of the above statistics is published in the following reports:"Quarterly Report of Persons Engaged and Vacancies Statistics, June 2026"

(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050003&scode=452)

"Quarterly Report of Manual Workers and Vacancies at Construction Sites, June 2026"

(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050004&scode=452)

Users can browse and download these publications at the website of the C&SD.

Enquiries on more detailed statistics on persons engaged and vacancies can be directed to the Employment Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 5076 or email: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).