Leung Chun-ying wins HK election

Leung Chun-ying will be Hong Kong's next chief executive, after crushing his two opponents on Sunday.

Leung's victory came at the end of a bitter campaign.

The other contestants were former chief secretary for administration Henry Tang Ying-yen and Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan.

"The election is over. Cooperation must start right now," Leung declared in his victory statement. "From now on, there are no more Leung supporters or Tang supporters or Ho supporters. There will be only supporters of Hong Kong."

Leung captured 689 votes in the ballot, well above the 601 required for victory. Of the 1,200-member election committee, 1,132 cast valid ballots.

Leung reaffirmed his faith in the principle of "One Country, Two Systems" and a high degree of autonomy for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He pledged to address the SAR's most pressing problems, citing the unequal distribution of wealth and chronic housing issues.

The government that he forms will be open to criticism, he said. "I will walk into the crowd with a stool, a notepad and a pen. When you are ready to speak, I am ready to listen," he said in his victory statement.

Leung promised to protect the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong, safeguard the SAR's high degree of autonomy, and respect the local way of life.

"My promises will be recorded in history as the unwavering commitment of my administration. We stand to be scrutinized and to be held accountable to all of you under the sun," he said.

The former convener of the Executive Council began his career as a qualified professional land surveyor who took up public duties in the early 1980s, including serving as secretary-general for the Basic Law Consultative Committee.

Chief election rival Tang trailed well behind Leung with 285 votes. Tang had entered the race as the favorite, with 390 nominators among the 1,200-member election committee. But he was badly damaged by a number of embarrassing disclosures about his private affairs.

As voting day drew near, Tang offended many electors by disclosing that allegations he had made during the campaign concerning Leung were taken from confidential Executive Council meetings.

Tang wept as he congratulated the winner and expressed the hope that Leung would respect the city's diverse culture and allow the city to contribute to the development of the entire nation.

"I am sorry for the disappointment," he sobbed as he addressed his supporters. "We can feel miserable, but not necessarily sorrowful."

The former chief secretary for administration pledged to stay in public service, but said it was too early to think about a second run in 2017.

The third candidate Albert Ho garnered only 76 votes.

The sole polling station, in the grand hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, was open for two hours to the 1,193 members of the electoral committee who turned up.

The office of the new chief executive, located at former government headquarters, will begin operations on Monday.

The results have been submitted to the State Council for a formal declaration. Once that has been accomplished, Leung's administration will begin a five-year term on July 1.

The Chief Executive election fully reflected the principles of openness, fairness and honesty, the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) announced on Sunday.

The process was smooth and there were no complaints concerning Sunday's ballot, EAC chairman Barnabas Fung said.

Echoing the EAC's appraisal, a spokesman for the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR said the election's completion in accordance with the Basic Law has demonstrated the spirit of openness and fairness.

The office expressed confidence in Leung's ability to lead the SAR government and pool community efforts to focus on economic development, improve people's livelihood and promote democratic development in a progressive manner.