B.1/7 Originel sink to Mr Machod
Copies to My Hall at Gooder.
DA
27/3/68
27.5.
MS 1+2
Draft Note for the Minister of State for his address to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association on Thursday, 29 March, 1968, on the subject of "World Security Problems"
China/Hong Kong
A
26
There seems little doubt that the disturbances in Hong Kong
last year resulted from an overspill of the revolutionary ferment
on the Chinese mainland. There is no evidence to show that they were
in any way instigated by the Chinese Government in Peking, although
the latter subsequently gave strong propaganda encouragement and
certain financial assistance to their supporters in the Colony.
2.
тесый
By the end of the year, the communists had virtually abandoned
violence in their confrontation with the Hong Kong authorities
although isolated incidents involving violence continued for some
time after that date and are liable to review. The change of
tactics coincided with the waning of revolutionary enthusiasm on
the mainland and the reassertion of the influence of more moderate
elements.
3. There seems little doubt that apart from this external factor
and the efficiency with which the Hong Kong Government dealt with
the disturbances, a major cause of this change in tactics was the
reaction of the general public in the Colony to the use of violence
by the trouble makers. There was overwhelming public support for
the measures adopted by the authorities to deal with the situation
and when the communists resorted to terrorist tactics this served
only to antagonise public opinion still further. This general
reaction appears to have come as a surprise to the local communist
leaders. They had perhaps forgotten that a very substantial
proportion of the people of Hong Kong consisted of refugees from the
communist regime in China who had "voted with their feet" for the
way of life with which Hong Kong could provide them.
4.
The economy of Hong Kong has shown quite remarkable resilience
in the face of the difficulties which confronted the Colony during
the last eight months of 1967. It has suffered certain set backs
as a result of the disturbances but its final trade figures for last
/year
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.