8.
agreement on the future level of the garrison;
this will be reduced to 4 infantry battalions,
engineers, 5 naval patrol craft and a
helicopter squadron, resulting in a total
annual saving of over £20m compared to the
original garrison. Secondly the Hong Kong
Government accepted that in the future it
would have to bear a substantially higher
proportion of the total cost that it has in
the past.
3. The Hong Kong Government were naturally
anxious that we should recognise the
difficulties this will pose for them in
relation to their planned social expenditure.
We are taking this into account as well as
possible release of Hong Kong owned land
used by the Services, and some technical
financial points. Both Governments hope
to resolve these issues quickly and to make
a fuller announcement before the end of
the year.
ABILITY OF THE GARRISON
TO WITHSTAND DETERMINED ATTACK.
particularly
The presence of the garrison
along the border, helps to preserve the
territorial integrity of the Colony and
acts as a deterrent to border violations.
If pressed We recognise that the
Garrison could not withstand a very large
scale assault, but this happily appears to
be unlikely.