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| Hong Kong's new leader sworn in amid protests | Hong Kong's new leader sworn in amid protests |
| (8 days later) | |
| Hong Kong's new Beijing-backed leader has been sworn in amid rising public discontent over widening inequality and lack of full democracy in the semi-autonomous southern Chinese financial centre. | Hong Kong's new Beijing-backed leader has been sworn in amid rising public discontent over widening inequality and lack of full democracy in the semi-autonomous southern Chinese financial centre. |
| Tens of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets later in the day in an annual protest that is an occasion for ordinary people to air their grievances over a range of issues. | Tens of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets later in the day in an annual protest that is an occasion for ordinary people to air their grievances over a range of issues. |
| Leung Chun-ying took office in an early morning ceremony overseen by the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, becoming Hong Kong's third chief executive since more than a century of British colonial rule ended and China regained control of the city 15 years ago. There were clashes between demonstrators and police outside the convention centre where the event took place, and a demonstrator who tried to interrupt Hu as he began his address was bundled away by security officials. | Leung Chun-ying took office in an early morning ceremony overseen by the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, becoming Hong Kong's third chief executive since more than a century of British colonial rule ended and China regained control of the city 15 years ago. There were clashes between demonstrators and police outside the convention centre where the event took place, and a demonstrator who tried to interrupt Hu as he began his address was bundled away by security officials. |
| Leung, a 57-year-old police officer's son and self-made millionaire, replaces the career bureaucrat Donald Tsang, who took office in 2003 and is barred from another term. | Leung, a 57-year-old police officer's son and self-made millionaire, replaces the career bureaucrat Donald Tsang, who took office in 2003 and is barred from another term. |
| Leung takes over Hong Kong's top job amid growing public anger over a yawning income gap, skyrocketing property prices and rising unease about mainland China's growing influence on the semi-autonomous region. | Leung takes over Hong Kong's top job amid growing public anger over a yawning income gap, skyrocketing property prices and rising unease about mainland China's growing influence on the semi-autonomous region. |
| Leung was chosen as chief executive in March, winning 689 votes from a 1,200-seat committee of business elites who mostly voted according to Beijing's wishes. Hong Kong's 3.4 million registered voters, who can vote for neighbourhood councillors and half of all lawmakers, had no say. | Leung was chosen as chief executive in March, winning 689 votes from a 1,200-seat committee of business elites who mostly voted according to Beijing's wishes. Hong Kong's 3.4 million registered voters, who can vote for neighbourhood councillors and half of all lawmakers, had no say. |
| Calls for democracy have been catalysed by the way Leung got his job and by corruption scandals surrounding his predecessor. Ordinary Hong Kongers fear that the political system in place since 1 July 1997 has resulted in the city's billionaire tycoons having too much influence on senior government officials. | Calls for democracy have been catalysed by the way Leung got his job and by corruption scandals surrounding his predecessor. Ordinary Hong Kongers fear that the political system in place since 1 July 1997 has resulted in the city's billionaire tycoons having too much influence on senior government officials. |
| Beijing has said Hong Kong could elect its own leader in 2017 and all legislators by 2020 at the earliest, but no road map has been laid out. | Beijing has said Hong Kong could elect its own leader in 2017 and all legislators by 2020 at the earliest, but no road map has been laid out. |
| Pro-democracy activists are scheduled to hold an annual march on Sunday that is expected to draw tens of thousands. The event began in 2003, when half a million people turned out to protest against anti-subversion legislation that was later shelved. The huge numbers shocked China's authoritarian leaders. Organisers said last year's event drew more than 200,000 people, although police said the number was much lower. | Pro-democracy activists are scheduled to hold an annual march on Sunday that is expected to draw tens of thousands. The event began in 2003, when half a million people turned out to protest against anti-subversion legislation that was later shelved. The huge numbers shocked China's authoritarian leaders. Organisers said last year's event drew more than 200,000 people, although police said the number was much lower. |
| Leung takes office with an approval rating far lower than his predecessors, making it tougher for him to push through reforms he has promised to even out Hong Kong's inequality. He has said he will increase the supply of affordable housing and has set up an anti-poverty commission. | Leung takes office with an approval rating far lower than his predecessors, making it tougher for him to push through reforms he has promised to even out Hong Kong's inequality. He has said he will increase the supply of affordable housing and has set up an anti-poverty commission. |
| Leung made mileage out of the discovery that his election rival, Henry Tang, had a luxurious illegal basement extension. At the time, Leung promised his own mansion in an exclusive neighbourhood on Victoria Peak had no illegal structures, but in the past week a local newspaper has discovered it has six unauthorised additions, including a small basement. | Leung made mileage out of the discovery that his election rival, Henry Tang, had a luxurious illegal basement extension. At the time, Leung promised his own mansion in an exclusive neighbourhood on Victoria Peak had no illegal structures, but in the past week a local newspaper has discovered it has six unauthorised additions, including a small basement. |
| The scandal over the illegal extensions has stirred anger among Hong Kong residents, many of whom can only afford tiny apartments. | The scandal over the illegal extensions has stirred anger among Hong Kong residents, many of whom can only afford tiny apartments. |
| Leung is not seen as friendly to the billionaire tycoons that dominate Hong Kong and who initially backed Tang. Trained as a land surveyor and holder of a British degree in estate management, he worked his way up to the top of a property consultancy firm. | Leung is not seen as friendly to the billionaire tycoons that dominate Hong Kong and who initially backed Tang. Trained as a land surveyor and holder of a British degree in estate management, he worked his way up to the top of a property consultancy firm. |
| Some in Hong Kong fear Leung is an underground member of China's Communist party because he was appointed to lead a committee that helped to draft the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution that took effect on 1 July 1997, while still in his early 30s. Leung denies that and says his volunteer activities helping to develop China's land use rights following the country's economic reform that began in 1978 earned him a good reputation with Chinese leaders. | Some in Hong Kong fear Leung is an underground member of China's Communist party because he was appointed to lead a committee that helped to draft the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution that took effect on 1 July 1997, while still in his early 30s. Leung denies that and says his volunteer activities helping to develop China's land use rights following the country's economic reform that began in 1978 earned him a good reputation with Chinese leaders. |
| Inequality in Hong Kong has widened to its greatest level in four decades, according to government data. Property prices have soared, which many blame on rich mainland Chinese buying up apartments. | Inequality in Hong Kong has widened to its greatest level in four decades, according to government data. Property prices have soared, which many blame on rich mainland Chinese buying up apartments. |
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