I should, perhaps, make it clear that we
are thinking only of the medium and long term
policy for the defence of the Colony.
We
would not wish to press for any permanent
I
fighter presence to be stationed in Hong Kong
so long as it continues to be possible to
provide detachments for the Colony from
fighter aircraft deployed in the theatre.
But we would ask that while we can maintain
cover from Singapore every effort be made to
maintain and, if possible, to step up the
frequency of such detachments in order to
meet the point made in the last sentence of
paragraph 7 of the Governor's saving despatch.