A public memorial service was held in Hong Kong Tuesday to let people pay last respect to Henry Fok Ying-Tung, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), who died of illness at the age of 84 in Beijing on Oct. 28, 2006.

Fok was appraised as "an outstanding public figure, renowned patriot, famous businessman, and intimate friend of the Communist Party of China (CPC)" by an official obituary released by Beijing.

On behalf of the Chinese central government, vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee Wang Zhongyu, vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Liao Hui, vice chairwoman of the CPPCC National Committee and Head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee Liu Yandong and vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee Tung Chee Hwa attended the memorial service at the Hong Kong Funeral Home.

Concerned officials from the State Council, the CPPCC, the State General Administration of Sport and provincial governments also came to Hong Kong to pay their last respect to late Henry Fok.

Also present at the memorial service were Acting Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Rafael Hui, Chief Executive of the Macao SAR Edmund Ho Hau Wah and Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR Gao Siren.

Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR Donald Tsang also paid a visit to Fok's family and extended condolence before he left Hong Kong for visits in Belgium and France last week.

The memorial service, hosted by vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee Tung Chee Hwa, began at 09:00 a.m. Tuesday (0100GMT). All the mourners stood for a silent tribute to late Henry Fok, whose body was covered by the national flag of the People's Republic of China.

Vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and director of Fok's Funeral Committee Wang Zhongyu gave a memorial speech at the funeral.

In his memorial speech, Wang spoke highly of Henry Fok's great contributions to the country, Hong Kong as well as the society.

After Wang's memorial speech, all mourners, including officials from the central government, HKSAR and Macao SAR governments and people from all walks of society bowed three times to the portrait of Fok as a sign of respect and bid last farewell to the renowned patriot.

A Chinese national flag was draped over Fok's coffin after mourners paid their last respects.

The central government was very concerned about Fok and sent a special medical team to Hong Kong in May to transfer him to Beijing-based Peking Union Medical College Hospital for medical treatment.

During Fok's hospitalization in Beijing, Chinese President Hu Jintao paid two visits to Henry Fok to express his best wishes in October.

After Fok passed away, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Jiang Zemin, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun and Luo Gan all expressed their deep condolences to Fok's family, lamenting for Fok's passing away.

Others expressing condolence on Fok's death via telegrams or letters included concerned ministries of the central government, provincial, regional and municipal governments, celebrities, organizations and groups in Hong Kong and Fok's friends.

Editor: Yan