ĦĦĦĦHONG KONG, February 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Tung Chee Hwa, incumbent chief
executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), has been elected
uncontested in the second Chief Executive election, with the support of over 90
percent of the Election Committee members.
ĦĦĦĦJustice Pang Kin-kee, returning officer of the 2002 Chief Executive
election, declared that after the two-week nomination exercise closed at 5 p.m.
local time Thursday, Tung Chee Hwa, the only validly nominated candidate, has
won the election uncontestedunder the Chief Executive Election Ordinance.
ĦĦĦĦTung's nomination was made by a total of 714 members of the 794-member
Election Committee.
ĦĦĦĦThe chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR is elected by the Election
Committee, serves a five-year term of office and is eligible to be re-elected
once for a second term, according to theBasic Law of the Hong Kong SAR.
ĦĦĦĦJustice Woo Kwok-hing, chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, which
conducts and supervises the election, announced that the election result is
lawful and valid.
ĦĦĦĦ"All the electoral arrangements and procedures have complied with the Basic
Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,the Chief Executive Election
Ordinance and other related statutoryprovisions," he stated.
ĦĦĦĦThe name of the validly nominated candidate, the names of the Election
Committee members nominating Tung and the election resultwill be published in
the SAR government gazette on March 1.
ĦĦĦĦUnder the Basic Law, the Hong Kong SAR government will report the election
result to the central people's government for appointment.
ĦĦĦĦInformed of his winning in the election, Tung Chee Hwa, chief
executive-elect of the Hong Kong SAR for the second term, expressed thanks to
the people of Hong Kong for their support.
ĦĦĦĦ"I am most grateful to the members of the Election Committee and to the
people of Hong Kong for your support and trust and honor," Tung said at his
election office.
ĦĦĦĦHe said during the election he has listened carefully and intensely to the
views of the Election Committee and to the peopleof Hong Kong.
ĦĦĦĦ"I know that the greatest concern of the Hong Kong people is the early
revival of the Hong Kong economy and the improvements ofgovernment structure and
performance," he said. "My undertaking tothe people of Hong Kong is that I will
respond to these challenges."
ĦĦĦĦ"We need to work in unity. It is my earnest hope to work together with all
the people of Hong Kong. I will continue to serve Hong Kong with commitment and
with dedication and to the best of my ability," he stated.
ĦĦĦĦTung, 65, ran for the election of the first Chief Executive of the Hong
Kong SAR before the return of Hong Kong to China, and wonthe overwhelming
majority of votes.
ĦĦĦĦAfter the appointment by the central people's government, Tung assumed the
post of the first Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive on July 1, 1997.
ĦĦĦĦDuring the past four years, Tung has made great efforts in carrying out the
"one country, two systems" principle and the Basic Law to the letter in Hong
Kong.
ĦĦĦĦUnder his leadership, the Hong Kong SAR government has soundly solved a
series of matters significantly concerned with the politics, economy and society
in Hong Kong, and has managed to maintain the stability of SAR.
ĦĦĦĦAll TV stations of Hong Kong broadcast the event live to make the Hong Kong
citizens acquainted with the news immediately. Enditem
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