An activist hangs a half pig-half wolf mask to symbolize two of the candidates during a protest against the city's chief-executive election system. Photograph by: Pichi Chuang, Reuters , Agence France-Presse Former government adviser and property consultant Leung Chun-ying won Hong Kong's leadership election today, according to official results. Leung, 57, will replace outgoing chief executive Donald Tsang in June after winning 689 of the votes from the 1,200strong election committee that chooses the southern Chinese city's leader. Applause broke out from delegates on the floor of the tally room as his count ticked past the 601 minimum required for victory. His main rival, Henry Tang, finished with 285 and prodemocracy candidate Albert Ho with 76, an official said. Thousands of protesters gathered outside the harbourside convention centre where the vote took place, demanding full democracy in the semiautonomous former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The protests, which could be heard inside the tally room, were noisy but generally peaceful. The overwhelming majority of Hong Kong's seven million residents have no right to vote in a "small circle" poll decided by an election committee packed with pro-Beijing social and business elites. Leung, whose humble origins as a policemen's son stand in stark contrast to Tang's background as heir to a textile fortune, told reporters earlier that he wanted the broadest possible community support. "Every resident has their own view about the election. I will try my best to get rid of people's negative perception about this election," he said. Leung consistently ranked ahead of Tang in public-opinion polls. © Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Hong+Kong+elects+leader/6366853/story.html#ixzz1so3548OF