David Chu (Hong Kong politician)

Dr. David Chu Yu-lin JP
朱幼麟
Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
In office 11 October 1995 – 30 June 1997
Preceded by	New constituency
Succeeded by	Replaced by Provisional Legislative Council
Constituency	Election Committee
In office 21 December 1996 – 30 June 1998 (Provisional Legislative Council)
In office 1 July 1998 – 30 September 2004
Preceded by	New parliament
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Constituency	Election Committee
Personal details
Born	5 March 1944 Shanghai, China
Nationality	Hong Kong Chinese American (renounced 1994)
Political party	Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong
Other political affiliations	Liberal Democratic Federation of Hong Kong (until 1999) Hong Kong Progressive Alliance (1999–2005)
Spouse(s)	Chu Ho Miu-hing
Children	Ann Chu Kwok-on Chu Kwok-chuen
Alma mater	Northeastern University Harvard University
Occupation	Managing Director

David Chu Yu-lin
Chinese	朱幼麟
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhū Yòulín Yue: Cantonese Jyutping zyu1 jau3leon4 Yale Romanization Jyū Yauleùhn

Dr. David Chu Yu-lin, JP (born 5 March 1944) is a Hong Kong politician.^[1] He was one of the founding members of the Hong Kong Progressive Alliance (HKPA), a forerunner of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), and has been a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong as well as the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China.

Early life

Chu was born in Shanghai in 1944. He moved to the United States in 1958 with his parents.^[2] The family settled in Bedford, Massachusetts, and Chu would go on to naturalise as a U.S. citizen. He graduated from Cambridge High and Latin School in 1962.^[3] He continued his education at Northeastern University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and a Master of Business Administration.^[2] His employer sent him to Hong Kong on assignment in 1977, and he chose to settle there.

In government and politics

Chu held positions in a number of government bodies soon after his arrival in Hong Kong, the earliest as a member of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force from 1982 to 1985.^[1] He was named a Hong Kong Affairs Advisor to the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China in 1992.^[2]

In 1996, Chu was chosen as a member of the Provisional Legislative Council.^[1] In 1997, he was named a Hong Kong deputy to the 9th National People's Congress.^[1] In the 1998 LegCo election, he ran as a candidate in the Election Committee functional constituency, and was elected with 469 votes, the fifth-highest out of ten candidates.^[4] In the 2000 LegCo election, he was returned to the same seat with 464 votes, again the fifth-highest out of the ten candidates.^[5] In 2003, he was reappointed a Hong Kong deputy to the 10th National People's Congress.^[6]

In July 2004, as the end of Chu's LegCo term neared and the Election Committee constituency was scheduled to be abolished, he spoke out against the slow progress towards democratisation in Hong Kong, calling Beijing's announcement that the 2007 Chief Executive election would not employ universal suffrage "unfortunate".^[7] He considered running as a candidate for the New Territories East geographical constituency in the 2004 LegCo election. However, the pro-Beijing camp pressed stronger HKPA candidates to drop out of the race so as not to split the vote and spoil DAB candidates' chances of election in the same constituencies; instead, Tso Wung-Wai ran as the HKPA candidate in Chu's place, and lost badly, ensuring the victory of DAB candidates Lau Kong-wah and Li Kwok-ying.^[8][9]

Chu stood as a candidate to be returned to the 11th National People's Congress in January 2008, but did not gain enough support; along with Philip Wong, he was one of two former Hong Kong deputies who failed to retain their seats.^[10][11]

Personal life

In his spare time, he enjoys cave diving and paragliding.^[3] He is married to Ho Miu-hing (何妙馨), the daughter of Hang Seng Bank co-founder Ho Tim (何添).^[12] They have two children and live in Repulse Bay.^[13]

Chu renounced U.S. citizenship in June 1994.^[2] After his renunciation, he placed his cancelled United States passport in a time capsule and held a public burial ceremony for it.^[3]

References

1. "朱幼麟議員" [Legislator Chu Yu-lin]. Legislative Council of Hong Kong. 1998. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
2. 肖连兵 [Xiao Lianbing]; 胡萌 [Hu Ming] (1996). "面对'97回归——记港事顾问朱幼麟" [Facing the 1997 return of sovereignty: Hong Kong affairs advisor Chu Yu-lin]. 未来与发展 (1). Retrieved 2013-04-19.
3. Theroux, Paul (2001). Fresh Air Fiend: Travel Writings, 1985–2000. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. pp. 257–259. ISBN 9780618126934.
4. "Legco election overall result". Info.gov.hk. 1998-05-25. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
5. "2000年立法會選舉結果：選舉委員會" [2000 Legislative Council election results: Election Committee]. Hong Kong: Electoral Affairs Commission. 2000-09-11. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
6. "十届全国人大代表朱幼麟" [10th National People's Congress Deputy Chu Yu-lin]. Xinhua News. 2004-03-06. Retrieved 2004-04-19.
7. Tang, Emily (2004-07-05). "Chu calls on Beijing to explain ruling". The Standard. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
8. "曹宏威突然參加直選" [Tso Wung-Wai suddenly joins direct elections]. Apple Daily. 2004-08-03. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
9. 鍾庭耀; 周廣博 (2004). "新界東票站調查結果" [New Territories East Polling Station research results]. Hong Kong University Public Opinion Programme. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
10. "Hong Kong names NPC deputies". China Daily. 2008-01-26. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
11. "黃宜弘朱幼麟：當選者水平高" [Wong Yu-hong, Chu Yu-lin: winners' standards high]. Wen Wei Po. 2008-01-26. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
12. "證監會譴責朱幼麟妻" [SFC censures Chu Yu-lin's wife]. Apple Daily. 2009-11-14. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
13. McHugh, Fionnuala (1997-12-21). "David Chu Yu-lin". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2013-04-19.

External links

• Official website