TNAG-0043-FCO40-79-Future-Sovereignty-of-Hong-Kong-Defence-Review-Working-Party-1968 — Page 200

Must17-ed Bolution

(m)

Hong Kong's future must eventually lie in

China.

But in present cirouantanoss we neod

not - indeed, we cannot - centemplate action to

This is likely to become an issue on this ende sot árs is itself to be obliged to gonsider withdrawal before the 1980's (when

confidence and the economy must inevitably

or earlier if, in the meantime,

start to run down)/uniese Chinese pressures in-

the weantime carry the indication that China has

(m)

(0)

antonable ↑

than a docldo to withdraw wow il non

major problems.

One will be the evacuation

of those wishing to leave, in particular British

subjecta or Chinese ruce (about 2 million are

entitled to alain thto atatus) and non-Britien

Chinese who would be vulnerable to retaliation

because of their loyalty to the British

connection.

We have a very strong obligation

to place them outside hong kong if they winh to

leave or sedute koODO

tres tment if they atay.

ooo for choir good

Placing all of thos

elauvhere may prove impossible;

any case be a lengthy operation.

It would be feasible to transfer much of

morostro anoto, but our large inventmont

rospent with

(p)

o roullcol axcept by

Our second major problem would be the

maintenance of internal security, since public

confidence and police morale could dip sharply (if it did not disintegrate altogether) once

our withdrawal was ennounced, The K

maintaining public order during a period of

withdrawal