Hong Kong's next leader seeks to ease tension after election victory
Source: Agencies |
March 26, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
LEUNG Chun-ying, 57, has been declared Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's next chief executive after securing 689 votes from a 1,200-member election committee of business leaders and other elites.
Leung, a real estate surveyor, bowed deeply three times to election committee members after his victory was declared.
Henry Tang Ying-yen, former chief secretary of the Hong Kong SAR government, and Albert Ho Chun-yan, a lawmaker who is also head of a local political party, got 285 votes and 76 votes respectively.
Speaking after his win, the leader-elect said he faced a daunting task, but added that he wanted to ease tensions while reaffirming the rule of law, human rights and freedoms.
"During the heat of the campaign, inevitably, passions were roused and strong remarks made," said Leung.
"Now that the contest is over, it is time to reunite, we must work in unison to be inclusive ... and once again instill positive energy into our community," he said.
Leung also said that he would work to ensure this was the last time an elite committee voted for a Hong Kong leader, pledging his commitment to direct elections in five years. "I shall work with the whole of Hong Kong in the next five years to make sure that the 2017 universal suffrage chief executive election will work well."
The central government promises universal suffrage for 2017, when Leung's five-year term ends, but no road map has been laid out.
Leung said he would uphold Hong Kong's core values and work to solve many issues of social conflicts in order to maintain prosperity and stability.
"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 be improved," he added.
The son of a police officer, Leung's pledges to beef up social reforms and expand public housing have irked the city's tycoons but pleased ordinary Hong Kongers.
His popularity rating benefited from Henry Tang's scandals, which included an extramarital affair, rumors of an out-of-wedlock child and a huge, illegally built addition to his home. At one point, polls showed more than 50 percent of people supported Leung versus about 17 percent for Tang.
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 joining a real estate firm in Hong Kong in 1977.
In 1985, Leung was elected 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 last October to stand for election. He is married to Regina Tong Ching-yee and has two daughters and a son.
He will succeed Chief Executive Donald Tsang, whose term ends on June 30.
Leung, a real estate surveyor, bowed deeply three times to election committee members after his victory was declared.
Henry Tang Ying-yen, former chief secretary of the Hong Kong SAR government, and Albert Ho Chun-yan, a lawmaker who is also head of a local political party, got 285 votes and 76 votes respectively.
Speaking after his win, the leader-elect said he faced a daunting task, but added that he wanted to ease tensions while reaffirming the rule of law, human rights and freedoms.
"During the heat of the campaign, inevitably, passions were roused and strong remarks made," said Leung.
"Now that the contest is over, it is time to reunite, we must work in unison to be inclusive ... and once again instill positive energy into our community," he said.
Leung also said that he would work to ensure this was the last time an elite committee voted for a Hong Kong leader, pledging his commitment to direct elections in five years. "I shall work with the whole of Hong Kong in the next five years to make sure that the 2017 universal suffrage chief executive election will work well."
The central government promises universal suffrage for 2017, when Leung's five-year term ends, but no road map has been laid out.
Leung said he would uphold Hong Kong's core values and work to solve many issues of social conflicts in order to maintain prosperity and stability.
"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 be improved," he added.
The son of a police officer, Leung's pledges to beef up social reforms and expand public housing have irked the city's tycoons but pleased ordinary Hong Kongers.
His popularity rating benefited from Henry Tang's scandals, which included an extramarital affair, rumors of an out-of-wedlock child and a huge, illegally built addition to his home. At one point, polls showed more than 50 percent of people supported Leung versus about 17 percent for Tang.
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 joining a real estate firm in Hong Kong in 1977.
In 1985, Leung was elected 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 last October to stand for election. He is married to Regina Tong Ching-yee and has two daughters and a son.
He will succeed Chief Executive Donald Tsang, whose term ends on June 30.
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