A state funeral in Hong Kong honors Tung Chee-hwa, the city's first post-colonial leader

A state funeral was held in Hong Kong on Sunday for the city's first post-colonial leader, Tung Chee-hwaHONG KONG -- A state funeral was held Sunday for Hong Kong's first post-colonial leader, Tung Chee-hwa, who led the city through the initial years of its transition from British rule after it was returned to China in 1997.Chinese officials and Hong Kong political leaders attended the service, only the third state funeral in the former British colony since the 1997 handover.Tung, a shipping magnate who was the city's chief executive from 1997 to 2005, died Sept. 8 at the age of 89. He grappled with the Asian financial crisis, SARS epidemic and public protests during his nearly eight years in office.Flower wreaths lined the wall outside the Hong Kong Funeral Home and Tung's casket, draped in a Chinese flag, could be seen being brought out after the service in live video streamed online by Hong Kong media. The media were not allowed inside.Shi Taifeng, a member of the Politburo of China's ruling Communist Party, and Xia Baolong, the director of China's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, left the funeral in a white minibus with Hong Kong's current leader, John Lee.About 200 people w...