Leung Chun-ying, a self-made Hong Kong-born millionaire from a humble background, was selected Sunday as the city's next leader.

Cable TV reported that Leung Chun-ying, 57, had garnered a majority of votes from the 1,200-member election committee that chooses the semi-autonomous financial hub's leader - referred to as the chief executive.

With nearly 90 percent of the committee votes counted, support for Leung was at 689, whilst his nearest rival, Henry Tang, had only 285. Pro-democracy advocate Albert Ho received 80.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the harbor-side convention center where vote counting was under way to call for full democracy for the island region, which reverted back to Chinese rule in 1997 after more than a century of British control.

Leung, a self-made Hong Kong-born surveyor, will replace outgoing chief executive Donald Tsang in June, following what has been an often vitriolic election campaign.

In a first, the race featured more than one candidate seen as acceptable to Beijing. Communist Party leaders had initially backed Henry Tang, but a series of controversies saw them hedge their bets and also throw their support behind Leung.

The tumultuous race has heightened many Hong Kongers' desire to directly elect their leader, which Beijing has promised could happen as early as 2017, although no road map has been laid out.

dfm/tm (AP, AFP, DPA)