The China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF) has mourned the passing of its Founder and Chairman Emeritus, the Honorable Tung Chee-hwa, joining the people of Hong Kong in paying tribute to a statesman whose life was defined by service to the city, the country and international exchange.

As Hong Kong’s first Chief Executive, Tung helped guide the city through a historic transition and played a defining role in the implementation and development of “One Country, Two Systems.” CUSEF’s Board of Governors described him as a devoted son of Hong Kong, whose love for the city and its people informed his lifelong work.

Tung believed that lasting peace must be actively built through dialogue, mutual respect and the courage to keep people in conversation, especially in times of difference.

Guided by that conviction, he founded CUSEF in 2008, believing that a stable and resilient China-U.S. relationship was essential to the well-being of both countries and to global peace, progress and prosperity. Through the Hong Kong-based organization, he fostered dialogue and exchange across generations, sectors and borders.

James Chau, president of CUSEF, called Tung “a statesman of exceptional foresight whose life and leadership set an extraordinary example and whose values continue to shape CUSEF’s character and purpose.”

“Mr. Tung often told me that ‘tomorrow will be better than today,’ provided that we commit our best efforts to making it so,” Chau said. “CUSEF will honor his memory by carrying forward the work to which he devoted his life.”

CUSEF said Tung’s legacy lives on in the institutions he built and in those who share his conviction that understanding can overcome differences. The foundation has established a permanent tribute page collecting reflections from its global community on his life and legacy.