Hong Kong's embattled chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, told media Monday that open elections would lend poor people more influence in politics as he defended his handling of the pro-democracy protest and Beijing's ruling on limited elections in 2017.

In his first interview with foreign media since the movement demanding for greater democratic liberties erupted four weeks ago, Leung Chun-ying reiterated his stance against free elections.

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He said if the elections for his successor rely on public decision, then the city's largest sector-the poor-would dominate the electoral process.

The Wall Street Journal and International New York Times published the interview just hours before the first round of talks on Tuesday between the Hong Kong government and representatives of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, a student political activism group.

Speaking from his official residence in the Government House, Leung defended Beijing's earlier decision to pre-screen candidates for his successor in 2017 through a broadly representative nominating committee.

Critics of this set-up, including the pro-democracy students, say it will give the central government power to handpick Beijing-leaning leaders.

Beijing, meanwhile, insists it has every right to demand loyalty from Hong Kong's top leader since it is a Chinese city, and not an independent country.

But Leung has offered an entirely different stance in defending Beijing's ruling.

As The Diplomat pointed out, he misinterpreted the meaning of "broadly representative" as the equal representation of all sectors of Hong Kong in relation to the protesters' demand for universal suffrage.

He said, if the elections were purely a numbers game, then that would constitute half of the Hong Kong residents who earn less than US$1,800 a month.

Leung's comment underscores one of the minor issues fueling the pro-democracy movement. The Wall Street Journal reported that many among the protesters are upset with the city's flagging economic opportunities, especially its policies that favor big corporations and the rich.

"Inequality has become bigger and bigger -- that's why we all have to stand out and tell the government how we feel," CNN Money quoted one of the protesters during the early days of the movement.

Hong Kong, a world-class economic hub, is among the world's most developed regions that have the worst rich-poor divide, unaffordable real estate, and outrageously high cost of living.

One fifth of Hong Kong lives below the poverty line and about a third live in public housing, while it is cradles some of the world's business tycoons.

Given how the anger over economic difficulties has spilled to the greater political crisis in the city, Leung's comments are likely to further enrage protesters who have already vowed to continue the democracy protest that has no end date.

Tagspolitics, Politics of Hong Kong, Hong Kong