The woman seen as China's favourite for Hong Kong's next leader formally registered Tuesday for the election in March after securing overwhelming initial backing, as pro-democracy protesters heckled her.

Carrie Lam announced she had secured 579 nominations from a 1,200-strong mainly pro-Beijing election committee which will vote on March 26 for the next chief executive.

This far outpaces two other candidates.

Former financial secretary John Tsang, who has won support from some members of the pro-democracy camp, and ex-judge Woo Kwok-hing have secured 160 and 180 nominations respectively.

Lam was deputy leader of the semi-autonomous Chinese city during mass pro-democracy demonstrations in 2014.

Facing a second day of protests against her candidacy, she told reporters she would "use all my strength in speaking with people... regardless of whether they are pro-establishment or pro-democracy".

Lam promoted a Beijing-backed political reform package rejected as a sham by the pro-democracy camp, which staged 79 days of mass rallies and road closures in late 2014.

The protests ended without any concessions from the Chinese or Hong Kong governments.

The package would for the first time have allowed Hong Kong people to directly elect their leader, but would have tightly controlled those eligible to stand.

Lam was taunted Tuesday by around 20 protesters, some of whom called her a "running dog" of Beijing.

"Have you received one nomination from pan-democracy figures?" one protester shouted through a loudspeaker, while others yelled: "I want real elections!"

Would-be candidates must secure at least 150 nominations to contest the election.

Activists gatecrash meeting of Hong Kong leadership hopeful
Hong Kong (AFP) Feb 27, 2017 - Pro-democracy protesters Monday gatecrashed a press conference by Hong Kong leadership hopeful Carrie Lam, displaying banners criticising a "rigged election" as the woman seen as China's favourite unveiled her policy.

Around a dozen activists including Joshua Wong, the face of 2014's mass pro-democracy protests, entered the venue minutes before the start and demanded to be allowed to communicate their messages to Lam.

Protesters chanted slogans and unfurled banners demanding the public get the right to vote for the city's top post.

They were allowed to stay after campaign manager Bernard Chan said he welcomed them to sit in.

The chief executive of the semi-autonomous Chinese city will be chosen on March 26 by a 1,200-strong committee, most of whose members are broadly pro-Beijing.

Lam, a former deputy leader of the Hong Kong government, was in charge of promoting a Beijing-backed political reform package rejected as a sham by the pro-democracy camp in 2014.

The proposal would for the first time have allowed all Hong Kong voters to elect their leader, but would tightly control those eligible to stand.

Lam said Monday that divisions in society had made it difficult to restart discussions about political reform.

Her platform instead focused on livelihood issues, the city's housing crisis, the economy and youth development.

After the event Lam approached the protesters and presented her campaign pamphlet. Some demonstrators tore it up and threw pages at her.

Lam and her colleagues eventually left hurriedly while the media and protesters surrounded them.

Lam's campaign said she had garnered more than 400 nominations from members of the election committee -- a minimum of 150 are needed -- and would formally submit her candidacy Tuesday.

Former financial secretary John Tsang, who has won support from some members of the pro-democracy camp, and ex-judge Woo Kwok-hing have secured 160 and 180 nominations respectively, local media reported.

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Activists gatecrash meeting of Hong Kong leadership hopeful
Hong Kong (AFP) Feb 27, 2017
Pro-democracy protesters Monday gatecrashed a press conference by Hong Kong leadership hopeful Carrie Lam, displaying banners criticising a "rigged election" as the woman seen as China's favourite unveiled her policy. Around a dozen activists including Joshua Wong, the face of 2014's mass pro-democracy protests, entered the venue minutes before the start and demanded to be allowed to communi ... read more

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