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SCMP Reporter

The Chinese Government today declared six days of mourning for paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, who died last night of complications related to Parkinson's Disease.

  The Foreign Ministry said mourning would last from Thursday to Tuesday. No foreign leaders are to attend the funeral in keeping with Chinese practice.

  An announcement released by the official Xinhua (New China News Agency) at 2.41 am said Deng died last night following respiratory failure.

  Apart from the obituary and the composition of Deng's funeral committee, there had been no further dispatches from Xinhua concerning Deng or other top leaders by lunch-time today.

  There was no indication about the movements of General Secretary Jiang Zemin, Prime Minister Li Peng and Deng's family.

   Chief Executive-designate Tung Chee-hwa, who is visiting Beijing, has been appointed to the funeral committee, headed by Mr Jiang.

   According to sources close to the military, the People's Liberation Army has been put on maximum alert. The order was handed down during the night by the Central Military Commission, headed by Mr Jiang, they said.

  All forces have been recalled to their units and all leave has been cancelled.

  But there were no signs of large numbers of troops or police being posted around the capital.

  About 10 uniformed guards in green-padded coats, carrying AK-47s, stood on watch this morning outside the alley leading to Deng's home behind the Forbidden City.

  The extra security was probably for the Chinese leaders who are expected to visit the house in the coming days.

   Flags flew at half-mast across the capital this morning as the country woke up to the news that the patriarch had died.

  About 1,500 people were in Tiananmen Square by 10 am, but most seemed unaware that Deng was dead as they watched a wreath-laying ceremony by a visiting Vietnamese delegation.

   China's Defence Minister General Chi Haotian, who has just completed an official visit to the Philippines, was carrying on with his Asian tour to Indonesia today, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said.

   World reaction stressed Deng's standing at home and abroad, and how he had opened up China economically.

  'Over the past two decades, Mr Deng was an extraordinary figure on the world stage and the driving force behind China's decision to normalise relations with the United States,' US President Bill Clinton said.

   Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto expressed his 'deep sorrow'.

  'He not only pushed ahead strongly with China's modernisation, such as reform and open-door policies, but also made a great contribution to the development of friendly and co-operative relations,' Mr Hashimoto said.

   In Beijing, Mr Tung this morning expressed confidence that Hong Kong and China would become more prosperous and stable in the next century despite the loss of a great leader.

   The funeral committee to which he has been named is made up of 459 members - mostly senior Chinese state leaders.

  Hong Kong is also represented on the committee by businessman Henry Fok Ying-tung and former Basic Law drafter Ann Tse-kai.

  Mr Tung said: 'Today, I feel great sorrow. China lost a great leader.

  'On the basis of 'one country, two systems', Hong Kong will soon return to China.

  'I feel extremely sad for the loss of a great leader and the loss of a good man. He's the brainchild of the 'one country, two systems'.

  'What we, and his family, should feel relieved about is that his contributions have already laid down a strong foundation.

  Mr Deng had expressed his wish to visit Hong Kong to see the handover.

  Mr Tung said: 'Of course, we feel sad. Many people hoped he would be able to come on July 1 to witness the return to the motherland.'   Governor Chris Patten expressed his regret. 'He has been the principal architect in recent years of China's modernisation and opening to the outside world. He will be regarded by future generations as an historic figure.'     All regular news briefings would be cancelled until February 27, the Foreign Ministry said, in an indication the funeral will be held within a week. The funeral of Chairman Mao Zedong was held nine days after his death on September 9, 1976.

  China would make no arrangements for foreign journalists to cover Deng's funeral or other mourning activities, the Foreign Ministry said.

  No foreign journalists or reporters from Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan would be given permission to come to China, it said.



Beijing declares 6 days of mourning for Deng