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Beijing's choice wins `election' in HK

Unsurprisingly, the Beijing-backed incumbent leader of Hong Kong was selected for another term by a handful of the territory's anointed elites yesterday.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang (曾蔭權) obtained 649 out of 772 valid votes cast by the "election" committee, far outnumbering his single rival, pro-democracy Legislator Alan Leong (梁家傑), who earned 123 votes.

Sixteen ballots were invalid: 11 were blank and two of the remaining five were marked "Object to this small-clique election."

Only the 800 members of the committee have the right to vote for Hong Kong's top leader, as 7 million Hong Kong citizens do not yet have the right to directly vote for their leaders.

Because some members hold dual posts, only 795 members are qualified to cast votes for the Chief Executive. A total of 789 committee members cast their votes yesterday, representing a turnout of 99.1 percent.

The election was the first in which a candidate not designated by Beijing has run since Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Leong was able to enter the race as a candidate after receiving the endorsement of 132 members of the election committee, having launched his campaign last December.

Few were surprised by the outcome when the host announced Tsang had again been awarded the post, but he looked touched and made a deep bow as he stood on the stage receiving applause from supporters.

"At this moment, I have so many mixed feelings, and I appreciate the unflagging support of Hong Kong's citizens. I will also keep in mind [Chinese] Premier Wen Jiabao's (溫家寶) advice, which is `the burden is heavy but the road is still long,'" Tsang said.

Each term lasts five years.

Tsang equivocated about a possible timeline for instituting universal suffrage before 2012, when the next chief executive election is scheduled, saying only that the Basic Law stipulates that universal suffrage is a fundamental goal.

"As long as we can take advice from all quarters and ensure Hong Kong's long-term prosperity, universal suffrage will be achieved," Tsang said.

Just as the election outcome was announced, maverick Legislator "Long-hair" Leung Kwok-hung (梁國雄), who was wearing a pig mask and a bow-tie -- one of Tsang's signature styles -- yelled out "No small-clique election!"

He was taken away by security immediately. Leung received a ballot, but he did not vote.

Meanwhile, Leong led other pro-democracy councilors in chanting "Universal suffrage!" after the voting ended.

Faced with the expected result, Leong said he would try to consolidate the support he gathered in this election to stage a comeback in 2012.

"To realize universal suffrage by 2012 in Hong Kong is our goal, and we will not give it up," Leong said.

Pro-democracy Legislator Sin Chung-kai (單仲偕) said that Leong's participation let Beijing know that it cannot designate Hong Kong's chief executive without listening to the voice of the people of Hong Kong.

"Because of this competition, Hong Kong people have the chance to speak out -- although they were not vocal enough," Sin said.

Meanwhile, the pro-democracy camp held a simulated vote for the chief executive, setting up 28 polling stations across Hong Kong. About 4,000 people took part and cast votes. The results of the pseudo-poll were not available as of press time.

In reaction to Tsang's victory, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council urged Hong Kong to get rid of what it described as "birdcage democracy" and implement universal suffrage as soon as possible.

The MAC also said the Hong Kong government denied issuing a visa to one MAC official, and blocked another official from entering Hong Kong. The two officials had intended to accompany Taiwanese reporters who were covering the election in Hong Kong.

"This unfriendly action is not helpful for interaction between Taiwan and Hong Kong," the council said in a press release yesterday. "If the Hong Kong government does not change its attitude, it only proves Hong Kong has backslid under `one country, two systems.'"

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