Hong Kong elects first female Chief Executive

Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor [File photo: Xinhua]

Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, also known as Carrie Lam, has won Sunday's election as the fifth chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).

The Electoral Affairs Commission of the Hong Kong SAR declared that Lam garnered 777 of the 1,163 valid votes, followed by Tsang Chun-wah with 365 and Woo Kwok-hing with 21.

Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor wins the election to become the fifth chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, on Sunday, March 26, 2017. [Photo: People.cn]

A candidate needs to get more than 600 valid votes in any round of voting in order to win. She will now be appointed by the central government, according to Hong Kong's Basic Law and the Chief Executive Election Ordinance.

She will then take her oath of office on July 1 becoming Hong Kong's the fifth chief executive, and the first woman to hold the post.

Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in her younger days. [Photo: People.cn]

Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor graduated from the University of Hong Kong. Since then she has dedicated herself to politics. She joined the government in 1980 and worked as the chief of the social welfare department. In 2007, she was appointed as the chief of development bureau. 

Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor with her husband and two sons [Photo: People.cn]

In the nearly 37 years of Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's public service career, she has won the hearts of citizens in Hong Kong by being tough when striving for ordinary citizens' benefits.