Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang was re-elected Sunday for a new 5-year term at the head of the administration of the Special Administrative Region. He was elected by the Electoral College, by 649 votes, while his only contender Alan Leung only managed to secure 123 votes.
Hong Kong doesn't have a tradition of democratic elections. The British governors of the Crown Colony were appointed by the British government. The British never bothered to ask the opinions of the citizens of Hong Kong. The last governor, Chris Patten, did try to force through democratic procedures, but as Hong Kong was returned to China, the government in Beijing was not going to take any chances.
There could have been many more contenders for the No 1 spot this time, but challengers knew they had next to no chance of winning. A poll even showed that if the people of Hong Kong could vote in a direct election, they would have chosen Donald Tsang.
Comparisons also show that Hong Kong has the freest economy in the world, which shows you don't necessarily need free elections to have a free economy. Hong Kong is the best example to show that parliamentary democracy is not a prerequisite for economic development. That is not to say democracy is no good, it's just a statement of fact.
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