Politics
Anson Chan
Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong 1993–2001
Born 1940
Photo: Iris Tong · Public domain
Anson Chan was the most senior civil servant in Hong Kong under both British and Chinese rule, the first woman and the first Chinese person to hold the post. She later became a prominent advocate for democratic reform.
Key achievements
- First woman to serve as Hong Kong's Chief Secretary, 1993–2001
- Campaigned successfully for equal pay in the civil service
Universities
Hong Kong Island, Pok Fu Lam
Took a degree in English literature in 1962 before joining the civil service.
Facts
- She joined the civil service in 1962, when women were paid less than men for the same grade, and campaigned successfully against it.
- She was nicknamed the conscience of Hong Kong by the local press.
- Her twin sister is a well-known painter, and their grandfather was a general.
Photographs
Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; the author and licence are shown on each image.