Leung Chun-ying wins Hong Kong election Posted: 25 March 2012  HONG KONG: Former government adviser and property consultant Leung Chun-ying won Hong Kong's leadership election on Sunday,  according to a live televised count from the tally room. Official results have yet to be released but according to the ongoing count broadcast by Cable TV,  Leung, 57, had a majority of votes from the 1,200-strong election committee  that chooses the southern Chinese city's leader. Applause broke out from delegates on the floor of the tally room as his count ticked up to 679,  well ahead of his main rival Henry Tang with 285 and  pro-democracy candidate Albert Ho on about 80. Thousands of protesters gathered outside the harbourside convention centre where the vote took place,  demanding full democracy in the semi-autonomous former British colony,  which returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The protests, which could be heard inside the tally room, were noisy but generally peaceful. Leung, whose humble origins as a policemen's son stand in stark contrast  to Tang's background as heir to a textile fortune,  told reporters earlier that he wanted the broadest possible community support. "Every resident has their own view about the election.  I will try my best to get rid of people's negative perception about this election," he said