3 qualify to run for HK chief executive

The nomination period for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's fifth-term chief executive election ended on Wednesday, and three candidates qualified to run for the vote in late March.

During the nomination period, which began on Feb 14, the Returning Officer at the Registration and Electoral Office received nomination forms from Tsang Chun-wah, former financial secretary of the SAR government, Woo Kwok-hing, a retired justice, and Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, former SAR chief secretary. Those nomination forms have been ruled valid.

Ip Lau Suk-yee, a lawmaker, said she would end her campaign for chief executive as she lacked sufficient Election Committee nominations.

Under Hong Kong Basic Law and other related laws, eligible nomination candidates must be Chinese citizens, age 40 or older, permanent residents of the SAR who have no residential rights in a foreign country, and have resided in Hong Kong continuously for at least 20 years.

Each candidate's nomination form must be subscribed by no less than 150 members of the Election Committee.