Hong Kong civil service veteran Donald Tsang has said he has secured enough nominations from a Beijing-appointed election committee to become the territory's next leader.
The post of chief executive of one of the world's leading financial centers came up when the unpopular Tung Chee-hwa, anointed chief executive at the end of British rule in 1997, resigned in March, citing poor health.
Hong Kong's chief executive is not popularly elected but picked by a Beijing-sanctioned group of 796 people.
There was never any doubt that Tsang would win the leadership race because he has the backing of Chinese leaders, but Tsang needed the support of at least 697 election committee members to win the leadership race unopposed.
"I've got support from 710 election committee members, including 674 nomination forms and 36 support agreements," Tsang told reporters after handing in his nomination forms at the government's election affairs office.
That means he would be automatically declared winner on June 16, when nominations close, and there would be no election on July 10 as previously expected.
RTHK radio said one of Tsang's two rivals, Democratic Party Chairman Lee Wing-tat, was pulling out of the race after receiving just 50 nominations, only half of the number needed to run in the election.
Analysts predict the territory under Tsang will make little headway in winning more democracy or voting rights, something Hong Kong people have been clamouring for but which communist China is loath to give.
To assuage public discontent, Beijing has extended numerous trade and economic concessions in recent years to Hong Kong, many of which helped the local economy recover.
Unlike Tung, Tsang is extremely popular with the public with polls showing he enjoys support ratings of over 70 percent, but many pro-Beijing supporters remain deeply suspicious of him after his long service to the former colonial government.
Tsang, famous for his colorful bow ties, was knighted just before Britain handed the territory back to China.