Incumbent Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang Yam-kuen announced on Thursday that he is to stand for another term as chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

Tsang made the announcement at 10:00 AM on Thursday.

Tsang said in his election campaign speech that he hoped to work with the Hong Kong people and take the city into a progressive new world.

Tsang outlined his administrative program in the speech, saying efforts should be made to build a new open government, set up a new democratic political system, boost new economic growth, create a "new quality life" and promote the development of a new culture of caring.

The election for the post of chief executive will be held on March 25 by the HKSAR Electoral Affairs Commission in secret ballot in Hong Kong and then reported to the central government.

Nominations for the election of the third-term HKSAR chief executive will be open from Feb. 14 to March 1. Those, who win nominations from at least 100 Electoral Affairs Commission members, are eligible to stand.

The HKSAR Electoral Affairs Commission was set up on Dec. 10, 2006, with 796 members.

Tsang, Alan Leong Kah Kit and Lee Wing-Kin have so far entered election or expressed intentions to stand in the election.

(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2007)