Excerpts from the diary, known as the "The Tiananmen Diary of Li Peng," had already been leaked online ahead of its planned publication by Hong Kong-based New Century Press on June 22, causing an Internet stir.

The memoirs shed a rare light on the decision-making process in the lead-up to the crackdown on Tiananmen pro-democracy protests on the night of June 3-4, 1989 that saw hundreds, if not thousands, killed.

"According to copyright information provided by relevant agencies and Hong Kong copyright law, original plans for the publication of 'Li Peng's Diary' on June 22 have been cancelled due to copyright issues," the publisher said online.

Bao Pu, head of the New Century Press, told AFP that media exposure ahead of the publication had been "premature."

"It gave time for all sorts of interests to interfere in the process," he said, adding the decision was "truly regretful."

The memoirs, which appear to be genuine, were potentially explosive as they detailed behind-the-scenes political manoeuvring over the Tiananmen crackdown that drew worldwide condemnation.

Bao said he had already received orders for 20,000 copies of the book, but had had to stop the printing process immediately.

In the diary, Li, who is 81 years old and reportedly in poor health, argues that the Tiananmen protests had to be extinguished to save China from chaos.

"The unrest now in Beijing is the biggest chaos since the nation was established," Li writes in a June 1 excerpt seen previously from an Internet posting.

"The loss of control in this situation has gone beyond the 'Great Cultural Revolution'," he said, referring to the 1966-1976 radical political campaigns triggered by late leader Mao Zedong.

Li has been vilified for announcing the imposition of martial law in May 1989 and for outmanoeuvring Zhao Ziyang, who was ousted by then President Deng Xiaoping as Communist Party head for opposing the use of force.

earlier related report
Hong Kong leader concedes defeat in reform debate
Hong Kong (AFP) June 18, 2010 - Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang on Friday conceded he had lost vital ground to the Chinese territory's pro-democracy camp after a much-derided performance in a landmark TV debate with the opposition.

The rival camp saw new momentum for its campaign for universal suffrage in the self-governing region of China, following Thursday night's televised encounter between Chief Executive Tsang and Civic Party leader Audrey Eu.

In self-mocking tones, Tsang said his performance in the first such TV debate was akin to the struggling South Koreans in a World Cup match won 4-1 by Argentina.

"My wife said I couldn't even survive until half-time. She said if I couldn't even beat her in arguments at home, how could I win over a veteran barrister like Audrey Eu?" he told a packed audience at a Rotary luncheon.

"But I tried my best," the former civil servant said.

The city's democrats want a firm blueprint for universal suffrage in Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule with the promise of broad autonomy in 1997.

They have lambasted Tsang's latest reform plan, which stops well short of one-person-one-vote by proposing only an increase in the sizes of the Legislative Council and the body that elects the chief executive.

The government will need the support of a two-third majority in the 60-seat legislature to secure passage of the reform plan in a vote on June 23, but the 23 pro-democracy lawmakers say they will block it.

Tsang admitted that his current plan might come to naught, but vowed to keep cajoling the democrats to reach a compromise.

"I think the negotiation will probably achieve nothing. Whether we can see a brighter morning will depend on whether political parties can put society's collective well-being ahead of their party interests," he said.

Eu was widely credited with dominating Tsang in the debate, her quick-thinking courtroom style contrasting with the chief executive's plodding delivery and reliance on written notes.

"How can your package bring us towards the ultimate goal of universal suffrage? I know you are Christian but we can't just rely on trust. Where is the blueprint? Is it like a promise written in water?" Eu asked at one point.

The Hong Kong Standard described the debate as a "public relations disaster" for the government, as political commentators across the spectrum and snap polls picked Eu as the overwhelming winner.

Lam Fai, a leader of the Post 80s, a group of university students and young professionals, said the campaign for universal suffrage had been strengthened.

"Rather than changing the mind of his opponents, we think that Tsang has hardened the opposition to his reform plan following the debate," he said.

At present, only half of Hong Kong's 60 legislative seats are directly elected. The rest are picked by so-called "functional constituencies", which consist mostly of pro-Beijing professional elites.

Hong Kong's chief executive is chosen by a separate election committee whose 800 members are handpicked by Beijing.

Under the latest proposal, the government wants to raise the number of directly lawmakers by five and increase the number of election committee members to 1,200 in 2012 to pave the way for eventual universal suffrage.

But critics said Tsang's faltering performance could give Beijing pause for thought, as centrist democrats push for 10 more directly elected seats.

"I think there could be major changes in Beijing's stance in these coming days," City University of Hong Kong political analyst James Sung told AFP.

"They may choose to adopt the moderate democrats' proposal, seeing that there is no hope for the reform plan to be passed by lawmakers," he said.

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