Late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping was really a leader with great talent and bold vision, who pledged to maintain Hong Kong's capitalism for 50 years, said Yeung Kwong, former chairman of Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions.

He made the remarks in an interview with Ta Kung Pao, which opened a special column from Wednesday for marking the 100th birth anniversary of Deng Xiaoping.

Yeung said that Deng listened carefully to Hong Kong people from different walks of life before making strategic policies on Hong Kong.

In May 1982, Yeung was informed that Deng would meet Hong Kong representatives of workers in Beijing in June and he wanted to know the views of Hong Kong workers on Hong Kong's returning to the motherland.

Yeung held three meetings with workers in Hong Kong to collect their views before his Beijing trip.

Deng met 12 representatives of Hong Kong workers on June 15, 1982. At the meeting, Deng listened carefully the representatives one by one.

The representatives agreed that Hong Kong must return to the motherland. Their requirement was that Hong Kong's return to the motherland should not affect their livelihood and Hong Kong must maintain its specific advantages and make contributions to the motherland.

Yeung said the meeting lasted three hours and Deng summarized that "Hong Kong must be returned to the motherland." He promised that after Hong Kong's return to the motherland, its social, economic, legal systems and living styles would not be changed.

Yeung said this was the first time that Deng definitely declared Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the four no-changes.

Yeung said on May 25, 1984, Deng met with delegates to the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) from Hong Kong. This was the second time he met Deng, also as a NPC deputy in Hong Kong.

It was at this meeting that Deng said that Hong Kong would maintain capitalism for 50 years. His remarks received warm responses with prolonged applause at the meeting.

Yeung said maintaining Hong Kong's capitalism for 50 years was the common aspiration of all Hong Kong compatriots.

Yeung had wondered if he could see with his own eyes the Hong Kong's return to the motherland as he would be 71 in 1997. Now, aged 78, Yeung is delighted to see the implementation of the principle of "one country and two systems" in Hong Kong.

As for the constitutional development in Hong Kong, Yeung said he has the confidence that Hong Kong people could discuss in a sober and peace manner in the future in an effort to create a better tomorrow.