‍Who will be the next chief executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region? The three front runners – former Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, former Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and retired judge Woo Kwok-hing –  faced off in a two-hour long forum at AsiaWorld-Expo on Lantau Island.

The three candidates explained their manifestos to nearly 1,200 election committee members and then took questions from them and netizens.

Woo Kwok-hing was the first to deliver his opening speech. “If I encounter injustice, I can’t make compromises,” the retired judge said. He also said there were many issues facing the Hong Kong people and the city needed a person to stand up for it.

Tsang Chun-wah started his remarks by manifesting his confidence that he could solve the problems facing Hong Kong. “I am the only candidate who can get support from different political camps and I am the only one who can help build a society with mutual trust and harmony,” Tsang said.

Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor thanked her campaign team at the beginning of her speech. “I am moved. I don’t feel I am alone because of your support,” she said, “No matter how many attacks I have received, I will never waver.” Lam said she hoped to do some preparation before being the executive chief and said “I am ready.”  

Woo said he would support a government with full transparency and provide assistance to any Hongkongers in need. “I won’t be like the ministers who do not consult the public.”

On this issue, Tsang pledged to open the government’s data to the public “for everyone to use it.”

Lam reaffirmed that she would support the lower class when asked about how the candidates would meet demands from grassroots residents. “As chairwoman of the Commission on Poverty, I have also done a lot,” she said.

The other two candidates slammed her for not visiting bazaar hawkers in Tin Shui Wai as planned. Lam cancelled a meeting with the hawkers on Saturday. Her campaign team said Lam was “too tired to go”.

To a question about the daily quota for people from the mainland who would want to join relatives in Hong Kong, Tsang said efforts should be made to tackle problems existing in the current immigration system.

“I have heard abuse of the scheme with people using false identities,” he said. Tsang also vowed to discuss the issue with mainland authorities and improve the current system.

Woo said he would ask Beijing to let the city cut the quota - which is currently 150 people per day - by half or two thirds.

However, Lam said the current policies should be maintained and there will be “long-term planning and resource allocation” to fix the problem.‍

Some locals in Hong Kong have accused immigrants from the mainland of abusing the city’s resources. 

On whether the Linked Exchange Rate System (LERS) should be replaced, Tsang said there was no need to abandon the system as it has proven to be good for the economy.

The other two candidates agreed with Tsang’s view that the current system should stay as it is.

The LERS was adopted in Hong Kong in October 1983 to maintain currency stability against the US dollar (USD), at around HK$7.80 to US$1.

The election for the next Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the highest office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, will take place on March 26.