The State Council, or the Chinese central government, at a special meeting on Tuesday appointed Donald Tsang, 60, the new Chief Executive (CE) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

Premier Wen Jiabao signed the appointment decree at the plenary meeting. According to the Basic Law of Hong Kong, Tsang will assume his CE office on June 21 and his term will expire on June 30, 2007.

Tsang resigned from the position of chief secretary of the HKSAR on May 25 to run for CE. On June 16, he won the by-elections having garnered the support of 714 members of the Election Committee.

On March 12, the central government accepted former HKSAR CE Tung Chee-Hwa's resignation on health grounds. Tsang stepped in to serve as acting CE.

The plenum reviewed two reports, one on the final result of the CE by-election by HKSAR, and the other on how the candidates were selected by the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.

"The fact that Mr. Tsang was nominated and supported by 714 members of the Election Committee and then won shows that he enjoys extensive recognition and support from various walks of life in Hong Kong," said Wen.

Wen said he believes Tsang and his government have the ability to lead the Hong Kong people to greater achievement, prosperity and stability.

He praised Tsang for having contributed much to safeguarding the "one country, two systems" principle, and the SAR's Basic Law while he served as the SAR's financial and chief secretary.

"Mr. Tsang exhibits strong capabilities in administrative management," he said, citing Tsang's savoir-faire of Hong Kong's business, social and government circles he gained from having worked in the Hong Kong government for more than 30 years.

Wen said the by-election embodied the principles of openness, fairness and justice since it's fully in line with both the Basic Law and Hong Kong's regulations on CE elections.

Also present at the meeting were vice premiers Huang Ju, Wu Yi, Zeng Peiyan and state councilors Zhou Yongkang, Cao Gangchuan, Tang Jiaxuan, Hua Jianmin, Chen Zhili.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2005)