Jump to content

James To: Difference between revisions

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
No edit summary
Line 39: Line 39:
| spouse = {{marriage|Cherry Yuen|1993|2008|end=div}}<br>{{marriage|Sue So|2009}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Cherry Yuen|1993|2008|end=div}}<br>{{marriage|Sue So|2009}}
| party = [[United Democrats of Hong Kong|United Democrats]] {{small|(1991–94)}}<br>[[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]] {{small|(since 1994)}}
| party = [[United Democrats of Hong Kong|United Democrats]] {{small|(1991–94)}}<br>[[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]] {{small|(since 1994)}}
|alma_mater = [[Wah Yan College, Kowloon|Wah Yan College]]<br>[[University of Hong Kong]] {{small|([[LL.B.]])}}
|alma_mater = [[Wah Yan College, Kowloon|Wah Yan College]]<br>[[University of Hong Kong]] {{small|([[LL.B.]], [[PCLL]])}}
| occupation = [[Legislative Councillor]]
| occupation = [[Legislative Councillor]]
| profession = Solicitor
| profession = Solicitor
Line 46: Line 46:
{{Chinese|t=涂謹申|s=涂谨申|p=Tú Jǐnshēn|first=t}}
{{Chinese|t=涂謹申|s=涂谨申|p=Tú Jǐnshēn|first=t}}


'''James To Kun-sun''' (born 11 March 1963, Hong Kong) is a member of the [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong]] representing the [[Kowloon West]] constituency. James To was also a member of the [[Yau Tsim Mong District|Yau Tsim Mong]] [[District Council of Hong Kong|District Council]]. Since 2016, To is the most senior member in the Legislative Council.
'''James To Kun-sun''' ({{zh-t|涂謹申}}; born 11 March 1963) is a lawyer and the [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]] member of the [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong]] representing the [[District Council (Second)]] constituency. James To has also been a member of the [[Yau Tsim Mong District Council]]. Since 2016, To is the most senior member in the Legislative Council. He is also the current convenor of the [[pro-democracy camp (Hong Kong)|pro-democracy caucus]] in the Legislative Council.


==Political career==
==Early life and political career==
To was born in Hong Kong in 1963. He was educated at the Church of Christ in China Kei Wa Primary School and [[Wah Yan College, Kowloon]] before he was enrolled to the [[University of Hong Kong]] where he graduated with a law degree, [[LL.B.]] in 1985 and [[PCLL]] in 1986, and became a lawyer after graduation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Class of 1985 Silver Jubilee|url=https://www.alumni.hku.hk/f/newsletter/478/1158/Reunions.pdf|work=University of Hong Kong}}</ref>
⚫
He was Hong Kong's youngest legislator when first elected.<ref name="TheStandard">[http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=12&art_id=60912&sid=17348161&con_type=3 Hong Kong's first Free English-language newspaper] ''The Standard'' {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408151033/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=12&art_id=60912&sid=17348161&con_type=3 |date=8 April 2008 }}</ref>


He was involved in the local democracy movement in support of the [[Tiananmen protests of 1989]]. In 1990, he co-founded the [[United Democrats of Hong Kong]], the first major pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong later transformed into the [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]]. He was first elected to the [[Sham Shui Po District Board]] in 1991 in Cheung Sha Wan.
==Views, policy positions and Legco voting==

⚫
In June 2010, he expressed open scepticism of the Democratic Party's support for the government's [[Consultation Document on the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive and for Forming the LegCo in 2012|2012 constitutional reform package]] but nevertheless toed the party line and voted for the measure. The party had secured the inclusion of a late amendment to hold a popular vote for five new [[District Councils of Hong Kong|District Council]] [[Functional constituency (Hong Kong)|functional constituencies]].<ref>Cheers and jeers for political reform vote, [[South China Morning Post|SCMP]], Gary Cheung, Albert Wong and Fanny WY Fung, 25 June 2010</ref> In a dissenting speech to Legco, he warned of the creation of "super-functional constituencies" with an apparently larger mandate than that of geographical constituency lawmakers.<ref>James To criticises – and votes for proposal, ''[[South China Morning Post|SCMP]]'', Albert Wong and Fanny W. Y. Fung, 25 June 2010</ref>
==Legislative Council==
===Colonial years===
⚫
To ran in the [[Hong Kong legislative election, 1991|first direct elections]] of the [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong]] in 1991, where he elected withe [[Frederick Fung]] of the another pro-democracy party [[Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood]] (ADPL) in [[Kowloon West (constituency)|Kowloon West]]. He was Hong Kong's youngest legislator at the age of 28 when first elected.<ref name="TheStandard">[http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=12&art_id=60912&sid=17348161&con_type=3 Hong Kong's first Free English-language newspaper] ''The Standard'' {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408151033/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=12&art_id=60912&sid=17348161&con_type=3 |date=8 April 2008 }}</ref> He kept his record until [[Hong Kong legislative election, 2016|2016]] when [[Nathan Law]] of [[Demosisto]] was elected at the age of 23.

He was re-elected in the [[Hong Kong legislative election, 1995|1995 Legislative Council election]] with 69 percent of the popular vote in his [[Kowloon West (constituency)#Kowloon South-west (constituency)|Kowloon Southwest]] constituency. He served on the Legislative Council until 30 June 1997 at the eve of the [[handover of Hong Kong]] when he had to step down with his party and replaced by the [[Provisional Legislative Council]].<ref name="Martin">{{cite web|url=http://www.martinlee.org.hk/BiosJamesTo.html|title=James To Kun-sun|work=Matin Lee}}</ref>

===After 1997===
He ran again the [[Hong Kong legislative election, 1998|first SAR Legislative Council election]] in 1998 he was re-elected with [[Lau Chin-shek]] on the same ticket with 55 percent of the popular vote in Kowloon West. He has specialised in the security issues, having been the party's spokesman on security issue chaired the Panel on Security, one of the key committees in the Legislative Council. He had closely followed the works of the [[Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong)|Independent Commission Against Corruption]], immigration issues, Vietnamese refugees, crime and triads. He also campaigned for the setup of the [[Independent Police Complaints Commission]] against police abuses of power.<ref name="Martin"/> Due to his Christian belief, he was known for his anti-gay rights voting records despite his liberal political affiliation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.e123.hk/ElderlyPro/details/199590/71|title=基督徒涂謹申棄權：無關信仰|newspaper=明報|date=2012-11-08}}</ref>

⚫
He was re-elected in Kowloon West in 2000, 2004 and 2008. In June 2010, he expressed open scepticism of the Democratic Party's support for the government's [[Consultation Document on the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive and for Forming the LegCo in 2012|2012 constitutional reform package]] but nevertheless toed the party line and voted for the measure. The party had secured the inclusion of a late amendment to hold a popular vote for five new [[District Councils of Hong Kong|District Council]] [[Functional constituency (Hong Kong)|functional constituencies]].<ref>Cheers and jeers for political reform vote, [[South China Morning Post|SCMP]], Gary Cheung, Albert Wong and Fanny WY Fung, 25 June 2010</ref> In a dissenting speech to Legco, he warned of the creation of "super-functional constituencies" with an apparently larger mandate than that of geographical constituency lawmakers.<ref>James To criticises – and votes for proposal, ''[[South China Morning Post|SCMP]]'', Albert Wong and Fanny W. Y. Fung, 25 June 2010</ref>

In the [[Hong Kong legislative election, 2012|Legislative Council election]], he represented the party to run in the newly created territory-wide [[District Council (Second)]] constituency. His ticket received 316,468 votes in total, the largest votes in the electoral history of Hong Kong until it was exceeded by his party colleague [[Kwong Chun-yu]] in 2016.

===2016 election and caucus convenor===
In 2016, he was re-elected in the District Council (Second) constituency with a sharp decline of vote due the [[strategic voting]] of the pro-democracy voters who turned to vote for Kwong Chun-yu who was trailing behind To. As a result, To took the marginal seat with 243,930 votes, only 10,694 votes, 0.6 per cent higher than the unelected [[pro-Beijing camp|pro-Beijing]] candidate [[Wong Kwok-hing]] of the [[Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions]].

He became the most senior member of the Legislative Council after [[Albert Ho]] retired from the legislature and [[Lee Cheuk-yan]] was surprisingly unseated and became the only Legislative Council member who has been directly elected in all elections since the introduction of direct elections in 1991. In October, he became the convenor of the reorganised pro-democracy caucus.


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
In January 2008, To divorced his wife, Cherry Yuen Choi-lin, over her alleged extramarital affairs.<ref name="TheStandard"/> They did not have any children. On 12 December 2009, he married his second wife, Sue So.<ref>[http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20091213/00176_093.html "政情：阿涂再婚 全場催「造人」"]. ''Oriental Daily'' {{zh icon}}</ref> They had a son in 2012.
In January 2008, To divorced his wife, Cherry Yuen Choi-lin, over her alleged extramarital affairs.<ref name="TheStandard"/> They did not have any children. On 12 December 2009, he married his second wife, Sue So.<ref>[http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20091213/00176_093.html "政情：阿涂再婚 全場催「造人」"]. ''Oriental Daily'' {{zh icon}}</ref> The couple have a son since 2012.


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

⚫
{{commons category|TO Kun-sun, James}}


==External links==
==External links==
⚫
{{commons category|TO Kun-sun, James}}
* [http://www.tokunsun.org.hk James To's homepage] (Chinese only)
* [http://www.tokunsun.org.hk James To's homepage] (Chinese only)
* [http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/members/yr08-12/tks.htm Legco biography]
* [http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/members/yr08-12/tks.htm Legco biography]

Revision as of 15:47, 5 July 2017

The Honourable
James To Kun-sun
涂謹申
James To in 2016
Member of the Legislative Council
Assumed office
1 October 2012
Preceded byNew constituency
ConstituencyDistrict Council (Second)
In office
1 July 1998 – 30 September 2012
Preceded byNew parliament
Succeeded byHelena Wong
ConstituencyKowloon West
In office
11 October 1995 – 30 June 1997
Preceded byNew constituency
Succeeded byReplaced by Provisional Legislative Council
ConstituencyKowloon South-west
In office
9 October 1991 – 31 July 1995
Preceded byNew constituency
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
ConstituencyKowloon West
Personal details
Born (1963-03-11) 11 March 1963 (age 61)
Hong Kong
Political partyUnited Democrats (1991–94)
Democratic Party (since 1994)
Spouse(s)
Cherry Yuen
​
​
(m. 1993; div. 2008)​

Sue So
​
(m. 2009)​
Alma materWah Yan College
University of Hong Kong (LL.B., PCLL)
OccupationLegislative Councillor
ProfessionSolicitor
James To
Traditional Chinese涂謹申
Simplified Chinese涂谨申

James To Kun-sun (Chinese: 涂謹申; born 11 March 1963) is a lawyer and the Democratic Party member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong representing the District Council (Second) constituency. James To has also been a member of the Yau Tsim Mong District Council. Since 2016, To is the most senior member in the Legislative Council. He is also the current convenor of the pro-democracy caucus in the Legislative Council.

Early life and political career

To was born in Hong Kong in 1963. He was educated at the Church of Christ in China Kei Wa Primary School and Wah Yan College, Kowloon before he was enrolled to the University of Hong Kong where he graduated with a law degree, LL.B. in 1985 and PCLL in 1986, and became a lawyer after graduation.[1]

He was involved in the local democracy movement in support of the Tiananmen protests of 1989. In 1990, he co-founded the United Democrats of Hong Kong, the first major pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong later transformed into the Democratic Party. He was first elected to the Sham Shui Po District Board in 1991 in Cheung Sha Wan.

Legislative Council

Colonial years

To ran in the first direct elections of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong in 1991, where he elected withe Frederick Fung of the another pro-democracy party Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood (ADPL) in Kowloon West. He was Hong Kong's youngest legislator at the age of 28 when first elected.[2] He kept his record until 2016 when Nathan Law of Demosisto was elected at the age of 23.

He was re-elected in the 1995 Legislative Council election with 69 percent of the popular vote in his Kowloon Southwest constituency. He served on the Legislative Council until 30 June 1997 at the eve of the handover of Hong Kong when he had to step down with his party and replaced by the Provisional Legislative Council.[3]

After 1997

He ran again the first SAR Legislative Council election in 1998 he was re-elected with Lau Chin-shek on the same ticket with 55 percent of the popular vote in Kowloon West. He has specialised in the security issues, having been the party's spokesman on security issue chaired the Panel on Security, one of the key committees in the Legislative Council. He had closely followed the works of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, immigration issues, Vietnamese refugees, crime and triads. He also campaigned for the setup of the Independent Police Complaints Commission against police abuses of power.[3] Due to his Christian belief, he was known for his anti-gay rights voting records despite his liberal political affiliation.[4]

He was re-elected in Kowloon West in 2000, 2004 and 2008. In June 2010, he expressed open scepticism of the Democratic Party's support for the government's 2012 constitutional reform package but nevertheless toed the party line and voted for the measure. The party had secured the inclusion of a late amendment to hold a popular vote for five new District Council functional constituencies.[5] In a dissenting speech to Legco, he warned of the creation of "super-functional constituencies" with an apparently larger mandate than that of geographical constituency lawmakers.[6]

In the Legislative Council election, he represented the party to run in the newly created territory-wide District Council (Second) constituency. His ticket received 316,468 votes in total, the largest votes in the electoral history of Hong Kong until it was exceeded by his party colleague Kwong Chun-yu in 2016.

2016 election and caucus convenor

In 2016, he was re-elected in the District Council (Second) constituency with a sharp decline of vote due the strategic voting of the pro-democracy voters who turned to vote for Kwong Chun-yu who was trailing behind To. As a result, To took the marginal seat with 243,930 votes, only 10,694 votes, 0.6 per cent higher than the unelected pro-Beijing candidate Wong Kwok-hing of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions.

He became the most senior member of the Legislative Council after Albert Ho retired from the legislature and Lee Cheuk-yan was surprisingly unseated and became the only Legislative Council member who has been directly elected in all elections since the introduction of direct elections in 1991. In October, he became the convenor of the reorganised pro-democracy caucus.

Personal life

In January 2008, To divorced his wife, Cherry Yuen Choi-lin, over her alleged extramarital affairs.[2] They did not have any children. On 12 December 2009, he married his second wife, Sue So.[7] The couple have a son since 2012.

References

  1. ^ "Class of 1985 Silver Jubilee" (PDF). University of Hong Kong.
  2. ^ a b Hong Kong's first Free English-language newspaper The Standard Archived 8 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b "James To Kun-sun". Matin Lee.
  4. ^ "基督徒涂謹申棄權：無關信仰". 明報. 8 November 2012.
  5. ^ Cheers and jeers for political reform vote, SCMP, Gary Cheung, Albert Wong and Fanny WY Fung, 25 June 2010
  6. ^ James To criticises – and votes for proposal, SCMP, Albert Wong and Fanny W. Y. Fung, 25 June 2010
  7. ^ "政情：阿涂再婚 全場催「造人」". Oriental Daily Template:Zh icon

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to TO Kun-sun, James.
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
New constituency Member of Legislative Council
Representative for Kowloon West
1991–1995
Served alongside: Frederick Fung 		Succeeded by
Himself
as Representative for Kowloon South-west
Preceded by
Himself
as Representative for Kowloon West 		Member of Legislative Council
Representative for Kowloon South-west
1995–1997 		Replaced by Provisional Legislative Council
New parliament Member of Legislative Council
Representative for Kowloon West
1998–2012 		Succeeded by
New constituency Member of Legislative Council
Representative for District Council (Second)
2012–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
New constituency Member of Yau Tsim Mong District Council
Representative for Olympic
2012–present 		Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded by
Andrew Cheung
Chief Judge of the High Court
 Hong Kong order of precedence
Member of the Legislative Council 		Succeeded by
Leung Yiu-chung
Member of the Legislative Council
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_To&oldid=789137471"