Leung Chun-ying, former convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong, celebrates with his wife Regina Tong Ching-yi as he attends a news conference after Leung won the chief executive election at a vote counting station in Hong Kong March 25, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

 

HONG KONG - Leung Chun-ying, former convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong, was officially declared the winner of the election of the fourth-term Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Sunday.

At about 12:33 p.m., Returning Officer Justice Poon Shiu-chor announced that of the 1,132 votes cast by members of the 1,200- member Election Committee, Leung Chun-ying won 689 votes.

The two other candidates, Henry Tang Ying-yen, former chief secretary of the city government, and Albert Ho Chun-yan,a lawmaker who is also head of a local political party, got 285 votes and 76 votes respectively.

A candidate must secure at least 601 votes to win the election.

The whole process was under the supervision of the Electoral Affairs Commission, scrutineers of the election candidates, the mass public and the public media.

At a press conference soon after the announcement, Leung who bowed and waved to the hailing audience said he was grateful for the support of the public throughout the campaign, and it was a privilege of him to serve the communities for the next five years as chief executive.

Leung said that he will uphold Hong Kong's core values and will work to solve many issues of social conflicts in order to maintain prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong has many competitive advantages. People of Hong Kong are innovative, hardworking and adaptable. As long as we seize the opportunities, our economy will continue to thrive and the livelihood of our people will improve," he added.

Voting began at 9 a.m. for two hours, with each member of the election committee entitled to cast a single vote by secret ballot.

There are exact 1,193 election committee members, as five members each represents two sectors, one post is in vacancy and one member has passed away.

The main polling station and the central counting station are both located at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.  

The three candidates were nominated on February 29, with Leung nominated by 305 members of election committee and Tang receiving supports from 390 members. Ho's nomination was endorsed by 188 members.

Incumbent Chief Executive Donald Tsang, whose term ends on June 30 this year, is barred from seeking a third term.  

Born in 1954 in Hong Kong, Leung graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic with a higher diploma in surveying, and later studied valuation and estate management in Britain for four years before returning to Hong Kong and joining a real estate firm in 1977.

In 1985, Leung was elected the Secretary General of the Basic Law Consultative Committee. He has been the convenor of the Non- Official Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong since 1999 before resigning the post in October 2011 to stand for the election.

Leung officially announced his candidacy for the post in later November 2011. He is married to Regina Tong Ching-yee and has two daughters and a son.

Leung Chun-ying, former convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong, celebrates after winning the chief executive election, at a vote counting station in Hong Kong March 25, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]