unsettled conditions in China could lead to
maltreatment of Portuguese nationals of
European origin and of Chinese race.
has no airport;
to small ships.
Macao
its harbour is only accessible
Hong Kong is its natural point
of exit from the China coast;
large-scale
and rapid movement out of Macao to destinations
beyond Hong Kong requires Hong Kong's
co-operation.
6. Relations between Britain and Portugal
have recently been under strain, notably over
Rhodesia, but it would be difficult to deny
a humanitarian service on political grounds.
Moreover, failure to render assistance would be strongly criticised by sections of public
opinion in Hong Kong, where there are many who
have reason to be grateful for the assistance
and shelter given by Macao at considerable risk
Hang Harg when the Japanese occupied the territory in
1942.
76.
however
Assistance must not be such as to endanger
Hong Kong's position vis-à-vis China.
Broadly speaking, this means that we must do
nothing that can be represented as
"intervention" in the Macao dispute; and that
xxx we are only responding to a Portuguese
request on humanitarian grounds. We shall
therefore need to pay particular attention to
the following points:
Hong Kong must be careful
(i) to give no un ertaking with regard to
persons of Chinese origin other than
Portuguese nationals. The reasons are
that Peking regards any Chinese as their
nationals; would object to Hong Kong
being used as an organised escape route;
and would assume, probably correctly, that some of the persons were K.M.T.
/supporters