Draft for Hong Kong section of Secretary of Stateis
aveech at luncheon with the Commonwealth writers of Britain.
Monday, 4th December.
In an increasingly complex world, the leaders of different
communities are constantly seeking guides as to the direction in
which their policies should be steered. Occasionally such guidance
is forthcoming in unmistakable terms in the form of an open,
unambiguous, and overwhelming expression of opinion by the community
for whose wellbeing they are responsible. A recent example of this
is to be found in the general attitude of the people of Hong Kong
towards the indiscriminate violence employed by communist elements
in the Colony in an attempt to undermine the authority of the long
Kong Government. Such violence has been a reflection of the
revolutionary ferment on the mainland of China; but the general
public of liong Kong made it quite clear throughout the disturbances
that they strongly disapproved of such actions; that they wanted
nothing to do with the troublemakers; that their concern was to be
able to carry on their normal pursuits in peace; and that they
wholeheartedly supported the measures taken by the authorities for
the maintenance of order and good government. Her Majesty's
Government have made it clear that they will continue to support
and sustain Hong Yong; and that they cannot consider any abdication
of their authority or responsibilities in the Colony. They hope that
core normal conditions will be restored on the mainland and will
continus to seek the restoration of good working relations between
liong Kong and China and between Chias and Britain, It is encouraging
to see that some progress has recently been made in this context.