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1. Military
TALERS ATO DISADVAMAGES CA OUR POSITION IN HONG KONG
To assist the Hong Hong Government in maintaining internal security and control of the frontier and to identify agrescion in the event of an armed Chinese attack, we are obliged to maintain in Hong Kong a garrison of the order of six to seven major units. Lo Royal Air Force aircraft are stationed in the Colony but aircraft mako periodic visits to administer a measure of control over local
air space.
One frigate and two coastal minesweepers are maintained
in the Colony on a rotational basis from Singapore.
In the current
year or account gross expenditure cn forces in Hong Kong is 211.69 million and net expenditure after deducting the Hong Kong Government contribution and local arisings is 36.2 million. in addition to maintain a reinforcement capability.
We have
In the event of strong pressure from China, including possibly
a mass civilian influx from China into the Colony, the internal security situation could get rapidly out of control and the effective
In reinforcement of the garrison in time might not be possible.
the unlikely event of an outright Chinese military invasion we could not defend Hong Kong • As indicated in our Interim heport, evacuation from the Colony is likely to be a very difficult, 10 not impracticable
fore operation. Our forces in the Colony are thereafter at co.ious risk
if the Chinese decide to take over.
30 At a time when we are reducing our other commitments and forces cast of bucz, we are precluded from making any major reduction in our forces in Hong Kong. Any significant decrease there would seriously affect confidence in the Colony by casting doubt upon our intention to maintain our position there and might also be inter- preted by China us an indication that we were preparing to leave. With the planned withdrawal of our forces from Singapore/.....alaysia in the 1970s, our jurison will be at the end cr a long line of communications. Although there is no intrinsic problem in
supplying it from the United Kingdom iss ruinforcement would take
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