The Players

MARGARET THATCHER reveals how she once hoped to win self-government for Hong Kong, but - after a stormy meeting with Deng Xiaoping - eventually agreed to hand the territory over to Beijing, although she felt depressed at having to do so, in this exclusive extract from her memoirs, the DOWNING STREET YEARS, to be published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

Hua Guofeng was Mao Zedong's hand-picked successor, and became premier and Communist Party chief upon Mao's death in 1976. However, he was elbowed aside by Deng Xiaoping in late 1978, and formally removed from his posts in 1981. He still lives in Beijing, and was last autumn re-elected to the party's Central Committee.

Zhao Ziyang was Chinese premier from 1983-88, when he made way for Li Peng. He became Communist Party chief in 1987, and was seen as an advocate of economic reform, but was sacked for supporting the 1989 pro-democracy protests. He was never tried but remains under house arrest in Beijing.

Alan Walters was the Prime Minister's personal economics adviser from 1981-83, and played a major part in persuading Margaret Thatcher to accept the Hong Kong dollar peg. He returned to Downing Street in 1989 and repeatedly clashed with Nigel Lawson over Britain's exchange rate policy, causing the Chancellor to resign, rapidly followed by Mr Walters.

Nigel Lawson became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1983 and presided over a period of tax cuts and high economic growth. He resigned in 1989, in protest over Margaret Thatcher's refusal to fire Mr Walters. Now Lord Lawson, he has harshly criticised her memoirs.

Lee Kuan Yew was Singaporean premier until 1990, and remains highly-influential in his present position as senior minister. He has advised many foreign leaders on how to deal with Beijing, but has been critical of Governor Chris Patten's approach.