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As you know, the Hong Kong Government have expanded
and are expanding their police force to the maximum
extent possible so that they can keep a strong hand
on internal security, but the police force is 90%
Chinese and its loyalty like that of the populace,
depends on its confidence that H.M.G. intend to keep
the Colony British and defend it against Chinese
attack.
4. Can it be said that the six units are adequate
in view of the above position? After the 1956 riots
the Commander British Forces, Hong Kong, assessed
the garrison requirement to enable him to carry out
his directive at nine major units plus a Venom squadron
and much stronger naval forces than we have at present.
In the event of serious internal security troubles only
two of the units at most would be available to maintain
a show of force on the frontier
and without air
support. The Chinese can, I believe, muster three
armies against them. In these circumstances I consider
that we are obliged to do all we can to provide the
defence forces without which local confidence will
ebb away.
If we have the men, both I and the Hong Kong
Government regard it as a mere fulfilment of our
Imperial defence responsibility that we should make
them available at our cost on the present basis.
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/5. The
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