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THE DEFENCE CONTRIBUTION
There is one naval
1. Britain maintains an army force of 6 + major units
(battalion strength) in Hong Kong.
frigate as guard ship and also some coastal mine sweepers
as well as a small RAF contingent at Kai Tak.
By the
latest agreement concluded after much hard bargaining
in 1971 Hong Kong agreed to contribute at the average
rate of £8 m. per year (largely for capital works in
Hong Kong) towards the cost of this force. Under the
agreement, which expires in 1976, a reduction of the
Hong Kong garrison by more than 1 major unit would
trigger off a re-negotiation.
2. In the current Defence Review being conducted by
the Ministry of Defence, all options are open, including
the possibility of a reduction, or even (though this
is most unlikely) the removal of the Hong Kong garrison.
In fact there is probably a good technical case for
some reduction. The force is probably unnecessarily
large for use in internal disorders. It is certainly
too small to cope with the Chinese army, against which
Hong Kong would be virtually indefensible in a determined
attack.
3. But the garrison is an important factor in Hong Kong's
confidence about its own future. Moreover the Defence
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/contribution