By Damian Grammaticas BBC correspondent in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa has had to hold off announcing a new cabinet because of delays in getting Beijing to approve his choice of ministers.

The new ministerial system was due to be unveiled on Friday.

An announcement early next week is expected, after the Central People's Government has made the appointments.

HK Government statement

But Beijing is still scrutinising the figures Mr Tung wants to appoint to his first cabinet and has not given its consent.

The delay is highly embarrassing for Mr Tung.

The new ministerial system is the most radical overhaul to the territory's government since it ceased to be a British colony in 1997.

Dual nationality

It is Mr Tung's brainchild. He has hand-picked 14 men and women to help him run Hong Kong, in place of the civil servants who continued to administer it for the past five years.

There is speculation the delay might be because one or two of the new ministers may hold dual Chinese and foreign nationality, and that one may have links to figures in Taiwan.

Mr Tung wants them to take up their posts on 1 July, when he begins his second term in office.

His critics say the changes are shambolic and are being rushed through.

The law transferring powers to the new ministers was only passed by Hong Kong's legislature this week after a brief debate.

Attempts by the democratic parties to make the ministers accountable to the legislature were all defeated. The ministers are unelected and only Mr Tung can recommend that Beijing dismisses them.

Many fear the cabinet system will strengthen Mr Tung's control over the government and end the tradition of an impartial civil service running Hong Kong.

They also fear that by extension, Beijing will have a greater say in Hong Kong's affairs.