P R E S S   R E L E A S E

 
        Dr the Honourable Anson Chan was a very distinguished senior civil servant. Before her retirement, Dr Anson Chan was the first Chief Secretary of Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

        Dr Chan studied English and English Literature at The University of Hong Kong and received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1962.  She then joined the Hong Kong Government as an Administrative Officer and held many senior positions in the Administration including Director of Social Welfare, Secretary for Economic Services and Secretary for the Civil Service, dealing with finance, economy, commerce, industry and social services.  In 1993, Dr Chan was appointed Chief Secretary of the Hong Kong Government, the first Chinese and the first woman to take up this prominent position.  As the head of the civil service, Dr Chan was instrumental in ensuring a stable and effective civil service as well as a smooth transition of the territory in 1997.  She then assumed the position of Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in July 1997.  Dr Chan advised the Chief Executive on matters of policy, deputized for him during his absence and was responsible for the effective implementation of the full range of Government policies.  She retired from the civil service at the end of April 2001 after nearly four decades of a very distinguished and illustrious career.

        Dr Chan's outstanding service to Hong Kong was not only highly recognized by Hong Kong citizens but also won her international acclaim.  She has received honorary degrees from local and overseas universities, including The University of Hong Kong, Open University of Hong Kong, The University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom and Tufts University in the U.S.A..  She was also made an Honorary Professor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China, and Honorary Fellow of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London in the United Kingdom.  Dr Chan was awarded Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1992 and Grand Bauhinia Medal in 1999 to signify her remarkable contributions to Hong Kong.