Hong Kong announced on Sunday that Carrie Lam, the candidate viewed as most favored by Beijing, will be the special-status territory’s new chief executive, the first woman to fill that position. Carrie Lam , the candidate most favoured by the mainland Chinese government , has become Hong Kong 's new chief executive . Lam received 777 of the 1,163 votes cast in the contest , with the city 's former finance secretary , John Tsang , receiving just two votes . Hong Kong 's chief executive is not selected through a public vote , but by a committee of 1,200 electors who are largely pro - Beijing . “ The election committee result is one that is directly contradictory to the majority public opinion of the Hong Kong people " , said Dennis Kwok , a lawyer and founder of democracy advocacy group the Civic Party .
Carrie Lam , the candidate most favoured by the mainland Chinese government , has become Hong Kong 's new chief executive . Lam received 777 of the 1,163 votes cast in the contest , with the city 's former finance secretary , John Tsang , receiving just two votes . Hong Kong 's chief executive is not selected through a public vote , but by a committee of 1,200 electors who are largely pro - Beijing . “ The election committee result is one that is directly contradictory to the majority public opinion of the Hong Kong people " , said Dennis Kwok , a lawyer and founder of democracy advocacy group the Civic Party .