The remarks made in a radio interview by Executive Council convener Bernard Chan, who said he underestimated opposition to the bill, come as Hong Kong braces for further protests over the weekend.
Most people appear to have abandoned the protests after riot police moved in with tear gas and rubber bullets to break up demonstrations against a proposed extradition law.
In a continuation of mass demonstrations that began over the weekend, thousands of mostly young protesters blocked lawmakers, forcing a delay on debate over a controversial extradition bill.
A judge sentenced the leaders of the protests to up to 16 months in prison. Rights groups said the sentencing would have a chilling effect on future demonstrations in Hong Kong.
Joshua Wong and Nathan Law, who led the 2014 Occupy Central protests against Beijing's leadership of the territory, were freed by Hong Kong's highest court pending appeal.
In a case decided by the territory's high court, four opposition lawmakers were kicked out of the legislature, shifting the balance in Beijing's favor.
On the anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China, Chris Patten has harsh words for Beijing's heavy-handed approach to the governance of the territory.
Lawmakers in the territory voted down the central government's plan to present a hand-picked slate of candidates for a vote on Hong Kong's next leader. But China says it will go ahead anyway.
Although turnout was far short of what activists had hoped for, demonstration leaders have promised nightly vigils to push for direct elections for the territory's next chief executive.
The approximately 8,000 rolls, with images of the territory's unpopular Beijing-appointed chief executive, were confiscated from a factory on the mainland.
Organizers say 13,000 showed up for the rally, far fewer than had joined previous protests against China's insistence on hand-picking candidates for the territory's next chief executive.
