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dependants, this would be likely to enable us to evacuato larger numbers
than would otherwise be possible, by taking advantage of American transport
facilities.
(f) The Working Party has oxamined the possibility of action in the
financial and economic fields in the evont of a forced evacuation from
Hong Kong. The outcome of this consideration is attached at Annox.
4. This paper considers the problem on the following basis:-
(a) Large-scale evacuation:
who could be ovacuated and how in ideal
conditions (paragraphs 5-7);
(b) the limitations imposed by security considerations (paragraph 8);
(c) the limitations imposed by the situation likely to be prevailing
at the time that evacuation would be necessary (paragraphs 9-10);
(a) Plan "DIGIT" (paragraphs 11-12);
(o) conclusions (paragraph 13).
Large-scalo Evacuation
5. British troops in Hong Kong and their families total about 30,000,
British nationals and Commontoalth citizens of non-Chinose race and their
families 31,000, non-Chinose foreign nationals and their families 14,500
(including 4,600 American citizens) and there are some 1.9 million Chinose
possessing or entitled to claim Citizenship of the United Kingdom and
Colonios. Of this last group, it is estimated that at loast 100,000 would
bo Chinoso and their families who have boon closcly associated with our
administration and would be in particular dangor of Communist rotaliation.
A comprehensive evacuation would thus have to cope with at least 175,000
pooplo and, since many of Hong Kong's non-British Chinese population havo
already flod from the Communists, many more might wish to leave if
facilities existed and a place to go wore available.
6.
Essential features of planning and evacuation in those numbers are
set out below:
(a) Priorities must be drawn up; the following aro suggested:-
(i) those who must be cvacuatod for reasons of Britain's national
socurity;
(ii) those who would bo at greatest porsonal risk in the event of a
Communist takeover, whatever their race or nationality
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