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(h)
The number of persons in Hong Kong with a legal right of entry into the UK in all circumstances is currently limited to those referred to in answer to (c) and (d) above. However, a much larger number of persons might be regarded as having an humanitarian claim to enter the UK in the event of a Chinese takeover of Hong Kong. In theory, this number could extend to include all UK nationals (persons eligible to hold British passports) in Hong Kong, particularly if the Chinese were to regard them as a target for victimisation. In practice, the number might be limited to some 200,000-300,000 persons who have a connection with the Colonial Government, eg public servants of one kind or another, and who might therefore be justified in thinking that they have a special claim on HMG. The over-riding con- sideration in policy planning in Hong Kong is, in fact, to avoid any action which might risk a mass exodus of British subjects of Chinese origin from Hong Kong.
Can we reasonably work on the assumption that (c) is
unlikely for some years at least?
The Chinese Government did not raise the question of
the future of Hong Kong with the Secretary of State during his visit to Peking in May. Privately, Chinese leaders at the highest level have let it be known that
while a problem exists, it is for the next generation (or, alternatively, two or three generations) to solve. They have said also that there will need to be negotiations
over the future of Hong Kong in due course and that meanwhile they will take no precipitate action. A Chinese takeover of Hong Kong therefore seems unlikely,
at least in the short-term, but it would be rash to
rule it out. The renewal of the leadership struggle
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