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SECRET
27 June 1949
149.
Aysor /
BDCC(FE)20th Meeting
COPY NO..
BRITISH DEFENCE CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE
FAR EAST
TWENTIETH MEETING
MINUTES
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Q
1.
DEFENCE OF HONG KONG
The COMMISSIONE. GENERAL said that in the course of various meetings in London attended by Sir Neil Ritchie, Sir Hugh Lloyd and himself the Government had decided
(1) that Hong Kong could be defended against any attack
that the Chinese Communists alone could make and that the necessary reinforcements should be sent to arrive if possible by the middle or end of September;
(ii) that steps must be taken to present our action as
the defence of territory against external aggression contrary to international law and not as defence of colonialism;
(iii) that the Commonwealth and the United States of
America should be informed so that they would know our plans and, if possible support them.
Reaction to this decision had been generally favourablc both on the part of the Commonwealth (including the Asian members) and of the American Secretary of State. It was clear however that greater difficulties would arise if the Communists asked for the return of Hong Kong or the New Territories and started a diplomatic campaign against us. This problem was to be considered by the Cabinet.
Sir NEIL RITCHIE emphasized the need for secrecy regarding details of the reinforcements lest the Communists be encouraged to attack early while we were still weak. It was possible that bandits aided by picked leading elements of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army, might make attacks on the frontier from a fortnight ahead on, but he still considered that the earliest date for a full scale attack was September.
Sir NEIL RITCHIE Sir PATRICK BRIND and Sir HUGH LLOYD then outlined the plans for reinforcing the colony. There was some doubt over the timing of the Royal Air Force reinforcements.
The COMMITTEE:
took note of these statements.
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