EDIT CONTAINS 4:3 MATERIAL<br/> <br />Various heads of state from across Asia offered their condolences Tuesday after the passing of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.<br/> <br />Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called Thatcher a great prime minister....<br/> <br />In China, where Ms. Thatcher negotiated the return of former British colony Hong Kong to Communist China in 1997, officials called her a remarkable politician.<br/> <br />Thatcher was the country's first and only female prime minsiter. She served three terms in office and was considered a polarising figure in the history of British politics.<br/> <br />Australia's first female prime minster Julia Gillard spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Beijing.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE)(English) AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER, JULIA GILLARD SAYING:<br/> <br />"Margaret Thatcher was a women who changed history for women."<br/> <br />Thatcher died after suffering a stroke. She was 87 years old.
