HONG KONG - Leung Chun-ying thanked his supporters for backing him and called for unity and inclusion, after he won the election of the fourth-term Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Sunday.

Leung, former convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong (Exco), bowed and waved to the hailing audience at a press conference soon after the election.

He said he was grateful for the support of the public throughout the campaign, and it was a privilege of him to serve the communities for the next five years as Chief Executive.

Leung called for unity and inclusion. "We are a family," he said. "Now the contest is over. It is time to reunite. We must work in unison and be inclusive."

The next Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying celebrates after winning the chief executive election, at a vote counting station in Hong Kong March 25, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

He pledged to work wholeheartedly for Hong Kong. Reiterating his Election Declaration "seeking change while maintaining stability", Leung said he upholds Hong Kong's core values and will work to solve many issues of social conflicts in order to maintain prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong has many competitive advantages. People of Hong Kong are innovative, hardworking and adaptable. As long as we seize the opportunities, our economy will continue to thrive and the livelihood of our people will improve."

Born in 1954, Leung joined the Exco in 1997 and resigned as Convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Exco on October 3 last year to stand for the election.

According to the city's Chief Executive Election Ordinance, candidates for Chief Executive must resign from government posts if they are to be selected for the job.

The HKSAR held the election for the fourth-term Chief Executive on Sunday morning. Leung won the election with 689 votes of the 1,132 votes cast by members of the 1,200-member Election Committee.