It deals solely with the visits of American ships
and does not as did the first note, mention the other
use being made by the American Services of Hong Kong;
nor does it accuse the Americans, as did their second
Note, of attempting to use Hong Kong as a springboard
for its future attack on China's mainland".
This
latest protest was sparked off, as was the second, by
the visit of the aircraft carrier "Enterprise", 2
nuclear-powered ship. The Chinese may well have thought
that, at a time when North Vietnam is being subjected
to heavy American attacks, they could not ignore visits to Hong Kong by this and other naval units
engaged in the Vietnamese war. By this means, they can show, at no cost to themselves, their support for North
Vietnam and give the appearance of doing something to
help them against the Americans.
4.
The Chinese took no action to follow up their
earlier Notes of protest. This Note makes the
relatively weak threat that, if the British Government
go on providing facilities for the Americans in Hong Kong,
it will "in the end seriously damage its own interest"
and "be held responsible for all the grave consequences
arising therefrom". It seems unlikely that the Chinese
will follow up this latest protest with any action
against us in Hong Kong or elsewhere.
1
5: The only action we need take therefore for the
moment is, I think, to go on record with a third,
unpolemical reply, so that we shall not lay ourselves
open to the criticism of accepting these Chine se
allegations by default. Unless the Governof of Hong Kong has some special reason for delaying delivery of our reply, I suggest we instruct Mr. Hopson to deliver it as
/soon
7
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