HONG KONG LEADER POSITION OPEN FOR MARCH 2017|香港特首梁振英 宣布不會競選連任

Hong Kong's unpopular leader Leung Chun-ying, who has been vilified by critics as a puppet of Beijing, said Friday he would not run again for office after a term marked by anti-China protests and political divisions. He cited family reasons for his decision. The surprise announcement throws open the race to run the international financial hub. Leung, who has been backed by the central government in Beijing, said it had accepted his decision not to contest the March election. Leung did not elaborate but media have reported that a daughter of his has been hospitalised. Speculation on a new leader for Hong Kong is likely to focus on John Tsang, the city's financial secretary, or Regina Ip, a former city security chief. Hong Kong's next leader faces a host of challenges with concern growing over the influence of Beijing in the city's affairs as well as a fledgling independence movement that has alarmed China's Communist Party leadership.