485) Dd.145178 400m 5/73 G.W.B.Ltd. Gp.863
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
****
CONFIDENTIAL
39. DEFENCE (Brief No. 11)
Which Hong Kong makes to te
costs of the dafenea of the colony The defenes contribution is not a current issue.
It is not due to be re-negotiated until 1975 but
members of Executive Council continue to feel
strongly about Hong Kong's £8 million a year
contribution.
40. Possible Criticisms: No other dependent
territory pays for its defence, why should Hong Kong?
41. Line to Take: Britain maintains a very large
garrison in Hong Kong for the benefit of the Colony.
The financial burden is shared in accordance with
the Defence Agreement. There is no point in re-opening
the question at this time.
42.
AID (Brief No. 12)
Members of Executive and Legislative Councils
have long contended that we should give aid to Hong
Kong. The colony does not meet our normal criteria
for aid, because it is too wealthy (GDP is over
£400 per head). But last year we announced that, in addition to minor amounts of technical assistance, we
were willing to provide £500, million for the Polytechnic
and £400 million for the Technical Institutes.
000
43. Line to Take:
our aid criteria.
00 0
Hong Kong is too wealthy to meet
The sid announced last year is
however a token of cur special relationship with.
and interest in.
44.
the
lors.
1
ELECTIONS POR DEGISLAT JE COUNCIL (Brief No.
1p)
There has been preRUG in Hong Kong recently for
some elected element on Legislative Council. At preces all members are either Officials or are nominated by
the Governor. The Chinese Government have however
made it clear on a number of occasions that any
CONFIDENTIAL
/constitution
MAZANONSERANIANITA 400m 3/73 G.W.B.LII. Gp.363
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN