Impact played down

Governor Chris Patten dismissed fears the death would undermine confidence, but repeated worries about China's decision to repeal human rights laws and set up the provisional legislature.

He said yesterday: 'I think the things they could do to give greater confidence in Hong Kong, not least, judging by recent polls, are not related to Mr Deng's death but are related to decisions taken recently about the protection of human rights and about the provisional legislature.

'People are anxious about their liberties . . . way of life and the rule of law in the future,' he said.

Mr Patten urged Beijing to show it trusted Hong Kong and was prepared to stand back and let Hong Kong get on with its own life peacefully.