4 Front-Runners for Post-Colonial Leader

Nominations closed without a last-minute strong contender emerging for Hong Kong’s first post-colonial leader after it returns to China next year, leaving four front-runners among a field of 30. The names of the would-be leaders now go to a China-picked Preparatory Committee, which is in the process of selecting a 400-member Selection Committee that will be charged with choosing the future chief executive by December. The front-runners are shipping tycoon Tung Chee-hwa, outgoing Chief Justice Ti Liang Yang, businessman Peter Woo and former Appeal Court Judge Simon Li.