Deng should have been first Chinese to get Nobel Peace Prize: Exco chief

Deng Xiaoping was the 'most recognised peacemaker' and should have been the first Chinese to win the Nobel Peace Prize instead of dissident Liu Xiaobo, Executive Council convenor Leung Chun-ying says.

The remark by Leung - widely tipped as a hopeful to be the next chief executive - stirred immediate controversy because of Deng's role in the 1989 Tiananmen Square military crackdown and bloodshed.

He made it after delivering a speech themed 'Establish vision, narrow differences, seek consensus - the responsibility of political leaders' to 1,400 students at Chinese University yesterday.

Asked by a social work student for his view of Liu being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Leung said: 'I know more about Mr Deng Xiaoping than Liu Xiaobo. I also know a bit more about President [Barack] Obama than Liu Xiaobo. When Obama won the prize last year, many people in and outside his country thought the award should not go to him.'

He continued: 'There is one thing I don't understand. If a Chinese was to take the Nobel Peace Prize, why was the first one not Mr Deng Xiaoping?' He stopped short of commenting on whether Liu - who was jailed for two years for supporting the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and is currently serving an 11-year sentence for subversion after drafting the Charter 08 democracy manifesto - deserved the award.

During his 40-minute speech, Leung mentioned the name of the late paramount leader eight times. He also extensively cited Deng's speeches and his design of the 'one country, two systems' principle to illustrate the qualities of a political leader.

Expounding on his ideas of leadership, he also stressed that political leaders were 'not ballot boxes', 'not vote-counting officers', 'not just executors' and should stand firm on their beliefs even when these were contrary to the voters' will.