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BRITISH INTERESTS
Ba
Political
3.
Hong Kong is of political benefit to us as a Free World
enclave on the mainland of China, demonstrating that a "free"
society, even (of necessity) without representative government,
is preferable in the eyes of many Chinese to the communist
society of China. Chinese influence has ensured that its
retention by us has not been a target of the anti-colonial
lobby at the United Nations. Its loss to China would be a
severe blow to Free World prestige in Asia and would
correspondingly boost China's prestige particularly among the
overseas Chinese in South East Asia. Our presence there is a
British contribution to inter-dependence. The Americans
recognise its usefulness.
4. There are on the other hand a number of political
disadvantages in our position. Our inability to develop
representative institutions in the Colony is a startling
anomaly in our post-war record of colonial administration;
while this has not so far embarrassed us in the international
field (e.g. in the United Nations), it is an object of
critical comment in this country, both in Parliament and
elsewhere. Difficult problems may lie ahead as there emerges
a generation brought up and educated in Hong Kong in Western
ways for whose energies there can be no outlet in political
activities and for whose aspirations for a secure national
identity there can be no solution other than China. Moreover
our position in Hong Kong clouds our relations with China and
might stand in the way of their improvement. The attack on
our Mission in Peking was the direct result of our refusal to
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