HONG KONG - Governor Chris Patten of Hong Kong paid his respects to Deng Xiaoping at the Xinhua news agency, Beijing's de facto mission in Hong Kong, and was followed inside.the building by Tung Chee-hwa, who takes the helm of the territory on July 1st.
Tung, flanked by members of his inner cabinet, bowed three times to a large black-and-white photograph of Deng.
Mr Martin Lee, chairman of Hong Kong's Democratic Party, told Hong Kong radio from London that he hoped Chinese leaders would take a softer line on Hong Kong in the wake of Deng's death.
"China simply wants to control Hong Kong, which is exactly the opposite of what Deng Xiaoping intended in 1984. Hong Kong people will be ruling Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy. That means a hands-off policy as opposed to the hands-on policy of today, Mr Lee said.