The news came as Mr Tung faced intensifying pressure within Hong Kong to resign, with three delegates to the National People's Congress openly calling on him to go while other previously supportive figures stopped short of backing him publicly.

The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office yesterday declined to comment while the official electronic media which has largely ignored the latest developments in Hong Kong carried a brief Xinhua report on Mr Tung's decision, highlighting his statement that the enactment of the national security legislation was Hong Kong's constitutional responsibility and should be done as soon as possible.

Analysts said Mr Tung's decision had put the central government in an awkward position. The announcement came only one day after a statement from the National People's Congress supporting a proposal to revise the bill.

The NPC had urged Hong Kong legislators and residents to support the legislation.

They said the central leadership in Beijing would probably not make any more public statements on the issue in the near future. The silence was seen as the central government's way of showing it would not be drawn into the controversy.

Officials from the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office appeared to have repeated the line they gave to James Tien Pei-chun, the chairman of the Liberal Party, on Friday when he made a special trip to Beijing to consult them on the controversial bill. However, Mr Tien appeared to have interpreted the statement as meaning the central government had no objection to delaying the bill.

In fact, the central government is still keen to see the bill passed as soon as possible. The leadership wants Hong Kong to move forward and focus on boosting its lagging economy, which is seen in Beijing as being the real reason for the massive demonstrations on July 1.

Cao Siyuan, an outspoken mainland scholar, yesterday hailed Mr Tung's decision, saying that it was a triumph of the will of the people.

'[The announcement] means that Hong Kong fully respects the will of the people and this shows that Hong Kong still has a future,' he said.

Mr Tung was forced to postpone the seconding reading of the anti-subversion law tomorrow after Mr Tien, whose party commands the key votes to the passage, quit the cabinet. He had insisted the bill be delayed for further consultation.

Mr Tien's colleague, Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong chairman Tsang Yok-sing, said he had discussed with his party colleagues his own role in Exco after Mr Tien resigned.

In his first statement issued shortly after an emergency Exco meeting on the crisis early yesterday morning, Mr Tung said the government decided to defer the bill in light of the Liberals' position.

'Many members of the community considered the government had responded positively to their concerns. However, quite a number of them hoped that the government could allow them more time to study the amendments,' he said.

In a second statement, made yesterday afternoon, Mr Tung added that the community needed to be calm, urging unity in the face of challenge.

On the public discontent over his governance, Mr Tung reiterated that he was looking at the concerns seriously and would soon make a response.

'At this moment, I think what is most important is really to get our economy going again, and we need to stand united to move forward together,' he said.

Speaking after a briefing to foreign consulates on the latest developments, Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang Yam-kuen sought to play down the political fiasco, saying Article 23 had taught officials a major lesson on the need to better explain legislation.

He side-stepped the question of whether the accountability system was crumbling, saying Mr Tien's resignation would not affect the way policies were formulated and endorsed.

Asked if any officials should go, Mr Tsang said the question of personal careers and interests was secondary.

'I personally think in times of public grievances, every public official should stay calm, listen to public views, and discharge their duties faithfully,' he said.