TNAG-0012-FCO40-48-Kowloon-disturbances-1967 — Page 96

Governor.

QUESTION: Why does Britain want to keep Hong Kong?

SIR DAVID TRENCH: Do not ask me. I am just the

1

This is U.K. policy.

QUESTION:

stay in Hong Kong?

How long do you personally think we will

SIR DAVID TRENCH:

Honestly, I cannot tell you.

QUESTION: Do you think we will be there in 1997?

SIR DAVID TRENCH: I know I shall not. The next

eighteen months while I am Governor is what I am worried about.

Honestly, I cannot answer this question. This is U. K. Government

policy. I am just the Governor.

QUESTION:

t

Could you possibly tell us your assessment

of the situation in China?

SIR DAVID TRENCH: I am not a China-watcher.

I rely

on my China-watchers.

What they tell me is that Mao in Peking

is thought to control Peking, Shanghai and about four other

provinces and to be rather marginally in control of about four

others. The rest out of control.

QUESTION:

Peking, Shanghai and four?

SIR DAVID TRENCH: Yes, There is a terrible lot of

fighting between the different groups of red gaurds, factions,

all the rest of it; certainly destruction of rail services,

destruction of the rail services between Canton and Shanghai.

QUESTION: What about Canton? Would that be under

Mao's control?

SIR DAVID TRENCH: I believe it is, yes. Mao is there

at any rate.

QUESTION:

Foreign tourists are successfully getting

into China, tours are going, are they likely to be upset?

SIR DAVID TRENCH: I do not think so. It has not been

easy to get visas for China.

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