Tung Chee Hwa, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), was elected vice chairman of China's top political advisory body on Saturday.
   
Tung, 67, announced in Hong Kong Thursday that he had officially submitted to the central government his request for resignation from the post as chief executive of the HKSAR for health reasons.
   
At the closing meeting of the third annual full session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Saturday afternoon, the 2,110 CPPCC members present elected Tung to the new post by an overwhelming majority.
   
Shortly after the conclusion of the CPPCC session, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region sent a congratulatory message on Tung's election, speaking highly of his contribution to Hong Kong and his "sterling character".
   
"Over the past seven years and more, you have led the HKSAR government to exercise governance in accordance with the Basic Law, try your utmost to seek the maximal interests and benefits for the Hong Kong citizens, actively promote closer links and cooperation between Hong Kong and the inland regions, advocate the concepts of state and nation, safeguard the law-conferred democracy, freedom and human rights of the Hong Kong residents, and preserve the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong," says the message.
   
"Your sterling character of performing your duties faithfully, always being clean and honest, enduring all hardship and humiliations, and taking pleasure in dedication and sacrifice has won you respect and praises from all walks of life in Hong Kong, the inland regions of the motherland as well as the international community," it adds.
   
The election of Tung to the vice chairmanship of the CPPCC has shown the "full acknowledgment" by the motherland and the people of his "pioneering work and historical contribution" in the successful practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong, and has manifested "a high level of attention" the central authorities have been paying to the HKSAR, it says.

(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2005)