Dd. 32855 Ed (4200)
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occasionally make a real gesture towarde Hong Kong (such as responding
to the
which, as we see it, is not to turn us out of
Hong Kong, but, while destroying the confidence
of local people in us, to hold us there in
subservience to themselves as a provider which
needed foreign exchange. If we could give a
2
ive a
real measure of response to Hong-Kong's request over Kai Tak) it would go far to
far to reverse the
feelings which have grown up there towards
HMG and avert the political risks involved in
them.
G5.
There are other reasons why I could hope
we could be more sympathetic to Hong Kong's
request. We have, I suggest, every reason,
even in our present improved position, not
to encourage feelings of disillusionment and
chagrin on the part of one of the major
overseas holders of sterling. The growth of
such feelings, too, hardly helps our exporters
to the Hong Kong market,nor do they form the
best background against which to negotiate an
increased defence contribution from the Colony
towards the costs of our garrison there. ( We
are just about to embark on what are like ly
to be extremely difficult negotiations on
this point).
6.
But most of all in the context of
assistance to Kai Tak we are vulnerable in the
use we have made of the airfield in our own
civil aviation negotiations.
Yit
It was built with
the Hong Kong taxpayers money; we have used
our authority over Hong Kong to deny entry to
the airport to foreign airlines, whom the
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/Hong Kong