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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:

The two-week nomination exercise for the 2002 Chief Executive election closed at 5 pm today (February 28). The Returning Officer, Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee, received only one nomination form submitted by candidate Mr Tung Chee Hwa on February 19.

Mr Justice Pang determined that Mr Tung had fully satisfied the statutory qualifications for candidature after verifying all the information on the nomination form. He ruled that Mr Tung's nomination was valid on February 19.

As there was only one validly nominated candidate by the close of nominations, Mr Justice Pang declared that Mr Tung was elected uncontested under the Chief Executive Election Ordinance. Mr Tung's nomination was made by a total of 714 members of the Election Committee.

Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing, the Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, which conducts and supervises the election, said: "Our Commission has fulfilled our duties in accordance with the law. All the electoral arrangements and procedures have complied with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Chief Executive Election Ordinance and other related statutory provisions. The election result is lawful and valid."

The Commission has notified the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government of the election result so that the Government could report to the Central People's Government under Article 45 of the Basic Law.

End/Thursday, February 28, 2002

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