Hong Kong gets first woman leader

A committee dominated by pro-Beijing elites chose

Hong Kong

's next leader on Sunday in the first vote since huge pro-democracy protests erupted over the election system in 2014.

Carrie Lam, the government's former No 2 official and Beijing's favoured candidate, received 777 votes, defeating former finance secretary John Tsang, who received 365 votes. Lam will become the first female leader for the city and its fourth since British colonial control ended.

China's communist leadership had lobbied for her, so Lam's victory was no surprise. After the votes were counted, Lam shook hands with second place finisher, former finance secretary John Tsang, who received 365 votes. Lam will take over from incumbent Leung Chun-ying. Lam is an efficient and pragmatic administrator but unpopular with Hong Kongers because she's seen as a proxy for Beijing. Tsang, in contrast, is popular because of his easygoing persona and use of social media.

“Hong Kong, our home, is suffering from quite a serious divisiveness,“ Lam said in a victory speech. “My priority will be to heal the divide and to ease the frustration, and to unite our society to move forward.“ Lam also pledged to follow through on election promises, including introducing a “two-tier“ profits tax, reducing tax to spur research and development, tackling the high cost of housing by in creasing land supply and boosting education spending.She also promised to defend the rule of law and freedom of expression as integral to underpinning prosperity .

Some pro-democracy supporters in the official seating area yelled slogans and held up a yellow umbrella, the symbol of the 2014 protests. The election committee was at the root of the protests as activists decried the lack of a direct choice by Hong Kong residents. Scuffles broke out outside the voting centre between protesters and police, who used barricades to keep them away . The activists denounced Beijing's “interference“ amid widespread reports of lobbying of voters to back Lam, rather than Tsang.

“Lies, coercion, whitewash,“ read one banner. Many , including opposition democrats, fear Lam will stick to the tough policies of Chun-ying, who ordered the firing of teargas on pro-democracy protesters in 2014 and who was not seen to be defending Hong Kong's autonomy . Since HK returned to Chinese rule in 1997, Beijing has gradually increased control over it even though it promised wide-ranging freedoms and autonomy not allowed on the mainland under formula of “one country, two systems“.