Hong Kong chief Tung steps down

Hong Kong's leader said he asked to resign yesterday because of failing health, and he denied that China was pushing him out because of poor performance during his eight years in office -- a time of economic woes, massive protests and calls for greater democracy.

After ignoring 10 days of rumors that he was quitting, Tung Chee-hwa (董建華) called a news conference and said that he wanted to step down because of fatigue and other unspecified health problems that began late last year. He said he had trouble standing for long periods of time.

"If I continue as chief executive, I won't be able to handle it," he said.

Tung said that he tendered his resignation with China's leadership an hour before his announcement and that he hoped China would accept it "as soon as possible."

He denied wide speculation that China pushed him out. China has "repeatedly affirmed the work that I and my colleagues and the government has done. That [forced resignation] is not the case at all," he said.

Tung's exit triggered Hong Kong's first leadership change since it was returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula, designed to give the territory a wide degree of autonomy.

James Sung (宋立功), a political analyst at City University, said he believed Beijing dumped Tung because the Communist Party lost faith in him.