TOP SECRET
is, however, probably true that they would only be deterred in this Hay from military actions against Hong Hong which could be clearly
defined as "Chinese aggression". It is much less likely that a
deturrent or this cort could put an end to the incitement to
subversion in Hong Kong, since the Chinese would calculate, quite correctly, that there is no point at which such subversion can be
considered as the justification for nuclear retaliation against
China.
9. The Americans would like us to stay in hong kong for as long as
possible because of liong Kong's value for intelligence purposes and
its political value as a Froe World enclave on the mainland of
China. For domestic as well as international reasons, however,
they would be very unlikely to be willing to give a public nucleur
guarantee for Hong Kong nor for our own reasons would we wish them
to do so. There might, howev r, be advantage in trying to make the
Chinese believe that the Americans are involved in or committed to
war the defence of Hong Kong. The continued presence of American ships in Long Hong is helpful in this connection and other methods of doing
so should also be considered.
18.
-
TOP SECRET
qa agad M