Mainland Chinese pay tribute to Tung Chee-hwa for opening door to Hong Kong

Mainland Chinese are honoring Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong's first chief executive, for initiating the Individual Visit Scheme over two decades ago. Launched in 2003, this scheme initially covered a few cities in Guangdong province and has since expanded to 59 cities nationwide, including Urumqi in Xinjiang. The program has significantly increased mainland arrivals to Hong Kong, contributing to millions of travelers' experiences and creating lasting memories for middle-class families. Henry Tang Ying-yen, who was financial secretary in 2003, described the scheme as a component of broader efforts to integrate with the mainland's reform and opening-up policies and to promote cross-border understanding.