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interference. Moreover, it would almost certainly be impossible
to obtain Chinese agreement to building height restrictions in
Chinese territory and to effective operational control by Hong
Kong over a significant portion of Chinese air space to the north
of the proposed airport.
5. Even if an apparently satisfactory agreement could be
reached with the present Chinese authorities, an airport in Deep
Bay would still be liable to sudden restrictions and even closure
by the Chinese. It would thus be a hostage to fortune if relations
with China were to deteriorate in the future. This would almost
certainly mean that the Hong Kong authorities would have to keep
the present airport at Kai Tak at least in mothballs so that it
could be used in an emergency. That would remove much of the
point of building a new airport which is to release the present
airport site in Kowloon for sale and development.
6. The air service arguments which the DOT advance are also
strong and are echoed by the Embassy in Peking. However, the
clincher is the point made by Peking on the risk to relations
with China of letting the Deep Bay option go too far. This
argues strongly for that scheme to be killed soon.
The attached draft teleletter to the Political Adviser
covers these points.
9 March 1982
My Clift.
agree.
Bri
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
Are Whow
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