Editing Tung Chee-hwa (section)

==== Subsequent developments ====
[[Image:TCWandCP.png|thumb|250px|right|Tung Chee Hwa shaking hands with [[Paul Martin]], the [[Prime Minister of Canada]] at the [[Government House, Hong Kong|Government House]] on 22 January 2005.]]
During the debate over Hong Kong's constitutional development, Tung was criticised as not reflecting effectively the views of the general population to push for 2007/08 universal suffrage to the People's Republic of China government.<ref>{{cite web |last = Staff reporter |title = Academics call for universal suffrage |work = The Standard |date = 27 June 2003 |url = http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=22875&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20030627&sear_year=2003 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080430051412/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=22875&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20030627&sear_year=2003 |url-status = dead |archive-date = 30 April 2008 |access-date = 11 January 2007 }}</ref> Although the primary target of popular opposition was the PRC government, Tung's lack of support for the pro-democratic camp resulted in his low approval ratings.<ref>{{cite web |last = Ng |first = Michael |title = Tung main victim of SARS outbreak |work = The Standard |date = 16 April 2003 |url = http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=16606&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20030416&sear_year=2003 |access-date = 11 January 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080430051357/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=16606&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20030416&sear_year=2003 |archive-date = 30 April 2008 }}</ref>

In late 2003, in an attempt to bring back visitors to Hong Kong, Government agency [[InvestHK]] was mandated to sponsor the [[Harbour Fest]] music festival in October, organised by the American Chamber of Commerce. The result was a series of poorly attended concerts, HK$100m bill for the taxpayers, with the Government, InvestHK and the American Chamber of Commerce blaming each other for the flop,<ref>{{cite web |last = Luk |first = Eddie |title = $100m mistake |work = The Standard |date = 19 November 2003 |url = http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=31995&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20031119&sear_year=2003 |access-date = 11 January 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110522031054/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=31995&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20031119&sear_year=2003 |archive-date = 22 May 2011 }}</ref> EOC chairman to be added.<ref>{{cite web |last = Yau |first = Cannix |title = Legco sets EOC deadline |work = The Standard |date = 10 December 2003 |url = http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=33321&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20031210&sear_year=2003 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130107161451/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=33321&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20031210&sear_year=2003 |url-status = dead |archive-date = 7 January 2013 |access-date = 11 January 2007 }}</ref>

Tung's cabinet suffered another blow in July 2004 when another Principal Official, the Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food, Dr. [[Yeoh Eng-kiong]], resigned on 7 July to take political responsibility for the government's handling of the [[SARS]] outbreak in 2003,<ref>{{cite web |last = Lee |first = Matthew |author2 = Teddy Ng |author3 = Dennis Ng |title = Yeoh Resigns |work = The Standard |date = 8 July 2004 |url = http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=31995&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20031119&sear_year=2003 |access-date = 11 January 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110522031054/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=31995&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20031119&sear_year=2003 |archive-date = 22 May 2011 }}</ref> after the release of the investigation report of LegCo over the issue.

In late 2004, the Tung administration experienced another embarrassment as the large planned sale of government-owned real estate, [[The Link REIT]], was cancelled at the last moment by a lawsuit by a tenant from an affected estate.<ref>{{cite web |last = Yau |first = Cannix |title = REIT woman set to launch appeal |work = The Standard |date = 23 December 2004 |url = http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=15688&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20041223&sear_year=2004 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080430051351/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=15688&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20041223&sear_year=2004 |url-status = dead |archive-date = 30 April 2008 |access-date = 11 January 2007 }}</ref>

With the subsequent improvement in the economy over 2004, unemployment fell and the long period of [[deflation]]<ref>{{cite web |last = Staff reporter |title = Prices plunge 3.6pc as job worries bite |work = The Standard |date = 23 January 2002 |url = http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=12147&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20020123&sear_year=2002 |access-date = 11 January 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080430051331/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=12147&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20020123&sear_year=2002 |archive-date = 30 April 2008 }}</ref> ended. This resulted in a decrease in public discontent as the government's popularity improved, and popular support for the democratic movement dwindled with a protest in January <!-- 2004? 2005? -->attracting a mere few thousand protesters compared to the 1 July protests of 2003 and 2004. However, the popularity of Tung himself remained low compared to his deputies including [[Donald Tsang]] and [[Henry Tang]].<ref>{{cite web |last = Ng |first = Michael |title = Tung's poll numbers take a dive |work = The Standard |date = 21 December 2004 |url = http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=15522&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20041221&sear_year=2004 |access-date = 11 January 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080430051346/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=15522&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20041221&sear_year=2004 |archive-date = 30 April 2008 }}</ref>