Ex-Hong Kong Governor DiesFormer Hong Kong Gov. Lord MacLehose, the first official to discuss the delicate issue of handing over Hong Kong with Beijing, has died. He was 82.He died Saturday, according to newspaper reports. No cause or location of death was given. As the British governor of Hong Kong from 1971 to 1982, MacLehose oversaw Hong Kong's development from a small trading post into one of the most important industrial and commercial centers in Asia. He also took a pragmatic approach to relations with China.During his tenure, MacLehose tried to improve relations with Beijing. He was the first governor to celebrate China Day and he made a successful visit to the Chinese capital in 1979. After his retirement, MacLehose returned to Britain, but he was in attendance in 1997 when Hong Kong was formally handed back to Beijing. He is survived by his wife, Noel, and two daughters. A funeral service was planned for Friday in southern Scotland and a memorial service in London was to be announced later, his family said. |
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