Father-of-four and heir (note 1) to an influential textile industrialist, Henry Tang began his political career in the early 1990s.
Both he and his father, Tang Hsiang- chien - an ex-member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference - have ties () with the central government and, it's said, former president Jiang Zemin.
His father, who hailed (note 2) from Wuxi, Jiangsi, arrived in Hong Kong in 1950 and made his name in textiles.
In 1991, Henry Tang stepped into (note 3) the political arena (舞臺) as a lawmaker with the Liberal Party and served until 1998.
When Tung Chee-hwa became the SAR's chief executive in 1997, Tang was appointed to the Executive Council and has stayed there.
He quit the Liberal Party in 2002 and joined the administration as secretary for commerce, industry and technology.
The following year, Antony Leung Kam-chung quit as financial secretary amid an uproar (哄動) over his purchase of a car just weeks before he raised taxes on new vehicles - and Tang took over.
It was on Tang's watch (note 4) in this office that Hong Kong's fiscal balance returned to a surplus.
That was in 2005 - several years ahead of the target date. But Tang's bid to bring in a sales tax was rebuffed (拒絕，受挫折). In July 2007, he was promoted to chief secretary.
But his outspokenness (note 5) has attracted regular bursts of flak (note 6). He was recently criticized for describing as "completely rubbish" suggestions that press freedom and freedom of speech were suppressed during Vice Premier Li Keqiang's visit.
There were rumbles (喧嘩) about remarks in May when he said young people should ask themselves "Why can't I become the next Li Ka-shing?" instead of complaining about the wealth and power of the SAR's richest man.
From good to better English:
(note 1) heir=繼承人。legal [right] heir=合法繼承人。the heir to the crown [throne]=王位繼承人。
(note 2) hailed=出生地是。例句：Bun Bun hails from London= Bun Bun是倫敦人。Hail(動詞)= 高呼，歡呼；致敬。hail Steve (as) King=歡呼擁立Steve為王。hail a taxi=叫出租汽車。Hail Mary!=【天主教】萬福馬利亞。
(note 3) stepped into=踏入 （Involve oneself or intervene）。in step= 步調。one step ahead = 提前一步, 搶先一步。out of step= 步調不一致。step by step= 一步一步地。step down= 辭職, 退休。step in= 插手幹預, 介入。step into someone's boots=接替某人的職位。step out of line= 出格, 越軌。stepping stone= 踏腳石。
(note 4) on Tang's watch=在唐英年監管下 （guard）。watch for = 守候, 監視, 注意。watch one's p's and q's= 謹言慎行。watch one's step= 走路小心, 謹慎。watch out= 密切注視, 提防, 當心。watch out for= 戒備。 watch over= 看守, 監視。
(note 5) outspokenness（名詞）outspoken(形容詞)=直言不諱的，坦率的；毫無保留的。outspoken criticism=坦率的批評。an outspoken person= 直率的人。
(note 6) bursts of flak=一連串批評。
Victor’s View: Henry Tang’s success in winning the chief executive’s crown hinges on his abilities to govern, not his wealthy family background.
(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 4 books on English-enhancement [the latest, titled <<學會演說、改變你的人生>>, was published on July 18] and plans to write 6 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)
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