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(ii) Ideological pressure: this could bring to the
fore the inconsistency of a situation in which Mao's
invincible theory of revolution had failed to triumph
in Hong Kong. It could also oblige elements in the
leadership, as in the Cultural Revolution, to demonstrate
their revolutionary credentials by adopting harder
policies, e.g. on Hong Kong, than they would normally do.
(iii) International prestige: China's image as a leading
anti-colonialist power might require the elimination · of this Colony "on its own doorstep" (this has been the
tenor of frequent Soviet jibes).
(iv)
Security: China might conceive her security threatened if her enemies (e.g. Taiwan, U.S.A., U.S.S.R.)
used Hong Kong or were likely to be in a position to use
Hong Kong as an effective base against her. (China has
shown sensitivity in the past over Kuomintang use of
Hong Kong as a base for intelligence and sabotage
operations and over the presence in Hong Kong of U.S.
forces for rest and recreation).
(v) Events in the Colony i.e. disorders or economic
distress which directly or seriously damaged Chinese
prestige or obliged China to take active steps to fulfil
her self-assumed role of "protector" of all those of
Chinese race.
vi) Other developments in the Colony e.g. constitutional
tending to indicate that Hong Kong might be making
progress towards a separate identity, thus making its
eventual recovery more difficult.
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/(vii)
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