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BRITISH RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities to People
20. We have a responsibility to safeguard the welfare and interests of about half the population of Hong Kong, the remainder being aliens.
(a)
21. A clear responsibility extends to the following categories:-
46,000 British subjects and Commonwealth citizens of non-Chinese race, of which about 15,000 at the present time are members of the armed forces and their families (the Gurkha troops and their dependents are included in this category).
22.
(b) About half (or 1.9 million) of the Chinese population who
have, or are entitled to claim the status of Citizens
of the United Kingdom and Colonies.
In the event of our withdrawal, we would have a residual responsibility to see that non-Chinese foreign nationals (numbering about 11,000) have the opportunity to leave if they wish and if their own Governments fail to make arrangements for
them.
23. It is arguable that we would also have a moral responsibility to non-communist Chinese aliens: these would be regarded in the eyes of the Free World as refugees from Communism who should not be left to their fate. To some in this latter category our
moral responsibility is very strong and inescapable - namely, those who because of their close connection with our administra- tion would be very vulnerable to Chinese retaliation (see paragraph 25 below).
to
24. Clearly we could not, in withdrawing from Hong Kong, effectively discharge all our responsibilities to the people. Those in category (a) of paragraph 21 will have an alternative place of residence; we shall need to provide facilities for them to leave with their assets and, in some cases possibly, assist with their resettlement. But there is no prospect that we could evacuate or place elsewhere the numbers of Chinese involved in category (b). The vast majority would have to be left to their fate. Large numbers would not wish to leave and would accommodate themselves to the new regime, but many would suffer. Our moral stock would fall grievously low if, in a voluntary withdrawal, we did not do all that we could either to
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