Hong kong-Tung Chee Hwa has won a de facto victory in his bid for a second term as Hong Kong's chief executive, securing enough nominations to block other candidates from challenging him, an ally of the chief executive said. As of last Tuesday, the chief executive received 702 valid nominations from the Election Committee, according to Returning Officer Justice Pang Kin-kee. Mr. Tung submitted his nominations earlier that day. Under the city's election system, which democracy advocates ridicule as favoring candidates supported by Beijing, only the 794 members of Hong Kong's Election Committee are authorized to nominate candidates for chief executive, Of those, more than 695 have nominated Mr. Tung, his ally said. Because a candidate must win at least 100 nominations to stand in members are permitted to nominate only one candidate each-Mr. Tung has effectively sealed victory by default.
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