NOTHING TO BE WRI
TEN IN THIS MARGI
12.
At the same time we need to consult with the
JECRET Governor on the shaping of future domestic
الكريم
policy given that, in the long term, the Colony
will return to China. This faces us with a
real dilemma, since if the population are
accustomed to liberal Western-style social
policies they will be less easily re-absorbed
in a communist China; yet to deny those
policies would be both morally repugnant and
provide fertile ground for communist
exploitation.
13. In any case, since the opportunity to lay
down our responsibility may not occur for a
decade or more, it would be prudent to under-
take some preliminary study of the steps we
might have to take to prevent a premature
decline in confidencein the Colony.
14.
In this context Hong Kong's prosperity is of
major political importance to the U.K. and
account must be taken of this in situations where
the economic interests of the U.K. and Hong Kong
appear to clash in the short term (e.g. sterling
balances and textiles).
/secbring Noterra.
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