霍英東
Tung Chee-hwa, a Shanghai-born Hong Kong shipping magnate, was not widely known until the campaign began. He was supported by influential tycoon Henry Fok whom he had a longtime relationship with. The election was considered by many pundits as a done deal as the China's paramount leader and General Secretary Jiang Zemin singled Tung out for an exceptional cordial handshake at a meeting in Beijing long before the election in January 1996. He was endorsed by powerful tycoon Li Ka-shing.