Sir David Akers-Jones, who was Hong Kong chief secretary between 1985 and 1987, has died aged 92. Now TV reported that he passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Jordan on Monday.

David Akers-Jones. File photo: HK Airport, screenshot via YouTube.

Born in England in 1927, Akers-Jones graduated from Oxford University and spent three years in the Malayan Civil Service before moving to Hong Kong in 1957. After serving as Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary for two years from 1985 , he served as the city’s governor following the sudden death of Sir Edward Youde between December 1986 to April 1987.

He then became the first non-official Chair of the Hong Kong Housing Authority between 1988 and 1993, and went onto become a Hong Kong Affairs Advisor to China from 1993 to 1997.

Sir David Akers-Jones is awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2002. Photo: GovHK.

‘Old friend’

Former chief executive Leung Chun-ying paid tribute on Facebook, saying that Akers-Jones was an old friend of China and worked hard on Hong Kong’s issues, even after retirement: “For two months, Sir Akers-Jones was very worried about Hong Kong’s situation on his hospital bed.”

CY Leung (left) and Sir David Akers-Jones (centre) at his 90th birthday celebration in 2017. Photo: GovHK.

Leung said he and his wife visited Akers-Jones on Sunday morning and promised they would come back for another visit after a Beijing trip: “Rest in peace, David. There are no unsolvable issues in Hong Kong,” Leung added.