SECRET
BACKGROUND NOTE
United States Naval Visits to Hong Kong
Since the end of the Second World War the United States Naval
vessels, in common with those of other nations, have frequently
visited Hong Kong for the purpose of rest and recreation. These visits have given rise to Notes of protest from the Chinese People's Republic to H.M. Government on four occasions: 1 September, 1965;
1 February, 1966; 20 March, 1967; 27 May, 1968.
These protest Notes have invariably contained allegations that
Hong Kong is being turned into a United States military base for
operations against Vietnam. There is no truth whatsoever in these
allegations which have been rejected by H.M. Government on each
occasion that they have been made. On the last three out of four occasions the protests have been directly occasioned by visits by the United States nuclear powered aircraft carrier ENTERPRISE which
is anathema to the Chinese Government.
The number of United States naval vessels visiting the Hong Kong
naval base over the past five and a half years has been as follows:
1963
1967
297; 1964
376.
315;
1968 (first six months)
1965
176.
332; 1966
391;
In May 1966 guide lines were agreed with the United States authorities in Washington to govern the use of facilities in Hong
Kong by the United States Armed Forces. These guide lines, the existence of which is secret, are intended to provide general control over such matters as the purpose for which United States Forces may visit Hong Kong (1.e. for rest and recreation only): the scale of visits of United States naval vessels, aircraft and
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SEORET