TNAG-0005-FCO40-41-Departmental-briefs-about-Hong-Kong-1968 — Page 15

SECRET

asylum is granted in those rare cases where there is reason to believe that the immigrants life or liberty might be in danger ir

they were returned.

24. The Hong Kong Government has for some time been anxious about

the threat which would be posed by a mass influx of refugees into the Colony, particularly in the event of a collapse of authority in the neighbouring Kwang tung Province (as occurred very temporarily in 1962). They have accordingly recently constructed a substantial barbed wire fence some 1,000 to 3,500 yards south of the border. The purpose of the fence, which is about 30' wide, is to stop land incursions of all kinds (although

it will have little military significance) and to assist in

PRO DOCUMENT any mass influx of refugees.

PUT IN PLACE

Rdle of Garrison

22 JAN 2009 25.

DEFENCE AND INTE.NAL SECURITY

Hong Kong cannot be defended against a determined Chinese

There are

attack

no plans for the reinforcement of Hong Kong against external aggression and the external role of the Garrison is to Identify aggression". Local opinion, while probably under no illusion about the ability of the present Garrison to resist for long, regards the existence of British troops deployed to guard the frontier as an assurance of our intention to maintain our position in the Colony. The principal role of the garrison is therefore to assist in maintaining internal security and local confidence; if either were to slip, the Chinese Government would be quick to exploit the situation and our position would rapidly become untenable.

Strength and 26. The present Garrison in the Colony consists of 6 major

Fion

ACT 1958 UNTIL SECTION 5(1) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED UNDER THIS IS A COPY 200

Army units and three coastal minesweepers.

Fighter air cover is

provided from Singapore. H.. Government's decision to withdraw their forces from Singapore and Malaysia by the end of 1971 will mean that it will thereafter not be possible to reinforce the Hong Kong Garrison From those sources in time c2 need. This situation will entail keeping a higher level of forces in the Solony itself. It has accordingly been decided that the future Permison should consist of:

/ Royal Navy 、、、

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