 Regina Tong was born at Tsan Yuk Hospital, the teaching hospital of University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong on 5 February 1957 to a merchant Tong Chi-ming and mother Kwok Chor-gar.She changed her name to Regina Ching Yee Higgins, as appeared on the certificate of marriage with Leung Chun-ying.Lawyers speculated that Tong could be adopted by her British relative, Kwok Cheo One who also named Higgins Cheo One, during her study in Britain to avoid high tuition fees.