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This,
12. We can not this these detation will create Over the past 10 year crimine China aliens who could not be defected have been detained for varying periods under existing
The legislation without attracting adrese antride lenment. Genever be indictive that the paver will be used wit sparigh; be does not envisage the members to be detained resin above 30% ko. 76. This particular suggestion will need the most careful consideration
since to station such a force in Hong Kong, on territory which the
We think
by them Chinese Government regard as theirs, must be regarded as an act of
Les major provocation.
Visits of American naval vessels
81. The Ministerial Committee recorded the view that the presence
of United States ships had a good effect on local confidence, could be useful if an emergency evacuation became necessary and could be expected
to have some deterrent effect on the actions of the Chinese Government.
These views are shared by the Politieel Department
9.
These are all valid points. Nevertheless it is important that we
should require the Americans to observe the guide lines agreed with them last
year for the use of facilities in the Colony by their Armed Forces. These
were designed to put limits on e.g. visits by American ships so that the
visible signs of American military presence in Hong Kong did not become so
blatant that the Chinese would feel bound to react strongly. The recent
decision to cancel the visit of the American carrier "Constellation" was taken
The proposed Warprogramme ofB
haval in part because together with visits of other large American vessels, would
Subslated from the guide lines. These laid down that, in normal
circumstances, visits by carriers should not exceed one a month. The
programme of visits from early July to early September, a period of 9 weeks, nonthy involved the visit of four carriers (including the "Constellation").
The Governor has since been given discretion to arrange for a visit of
the "Constellation" to be fitted in with the programme of visits by other
has been Ashed to avoid American naval ships but the bunching of visits by carriers and other large
as far as
American ships should be avoided if okall possible.
Powers of Detention
10.
Recent raids on Communist headquarters and buildings have led to the
arrest of some 20 prominent local Communists of considerable security and
intelligence interest. To provide for their continued detention the Governor
has been authorised to bring into force emergency regulations conferring
powers of detention.
11.
This has been necessary for two reasons. Firstly, because existing
legislation provides only for the deportation of aliens and for their
continued detention if deportation proves impracticable. Powers are now
required to deal with prominent local Communists who are British subjects.
Secondly, the case against the aliens now in custody rests on evidence that
would be inadmissible in a Court or that could not be exposed to the Courts or to the deportation and detention tribunals established under existing
legislation (because of the need to protect delicate sources).
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