Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday reappointed Donald Tsang as chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), following his landslide election win last month.

"Tsang's victory in the election meets the Hong Kong people's expectations and reflects their trust in him," Wen said.

In a statement issued immediately after the appointment, Tsang expressed his thanks to the central government, saying the opportunity to serve was "a great honor".

"I have a huge mission," he said, pledging to strive to lead the HKSAR government in a pragmatic manner and to take Hong Kong's development to new heights.

According to the Basic Law of the HKSAR, the chief executive is elected by the Election Committee, which comprises representatives from various sectors, and then appointed by the central government.

Tsang outgunned his only competitor, Alan Leong, by 649 votes to 123 in the March 25 poll.

"The election, conforming to the principles of openness, fairness and justice, fully tallies with the Basic Law and other relevant laws," Wen said at a plenum of the State Council.

Wen spoke highly of Tsang's performance over the nearly two years he has served as HKSAR chief executive. Tsang was first elected in June 2005, succeeding Tung Chee-hwa, who resigned midway through his second term due to ill health.

Tsang will head for Beijing on Sunday to attend an inauguration ceremony and return to Hong Kong the following Tuesday.

His new term will officially start on July 1 and will be the third full term since Hong Kong became a special administrative region in 1997. Tsang's term will end on June 30, 2012.

Observers believe Tsang's past experience in helping Hong Kong out of difficulties and the central government's faith in him will be conducive to solving the challenges he will doubtless face over the next five years.

"Tsang has led the local government to enhance its capability, develop its economy, improve the livelihoods of local people and handle actively and properly various problems of public concern," Wen said.

"The performance of his administration has been widely applauded by local people from all walks of life," he said.

The central government hopes Tsang will make greater contributions to Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, thoroughly implement the Basic Law and adhere to the principle of "one country, two systems", under which Hong Kong people administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy, Wen said.

"I shall not fail the trust the central government and the people of Hong Kong have placed in me," Tsang said in his statement. He said he had solicited views from members of the Election Committee and reached out to people from all social circles to find out their needs and expectations during the election campaign.

"I'll keep these precious suggestions in mind and try to respond to them in my future work," he said.

"I will lead a government that will become a force for political progress in Hong Kong, a government that will bring Hong Kong into a new era and establish Hong Kong as a dynamic, multicultural and vibrant metropolis," he said during the campaign.

China Daily-Xinhua

(China Daily 04/03/2007 page3)