TNAG-0051-FCO40-87-Secretary-of-State-s-television-interview-about-Hong-Kong-1967 — Page 13

Q.

A.

(3) How self-contained is Hong Kong in terms of a

cold war situation of positive non-co-operation from

China?

This is of course a hypothetical question.

if it was really necessary

But

Hong Kong could get by

without supplies from China, although we would all hope

that this valuable trade which is of considerable mutual

benefit will not be deliberately terminated.

In the case of water, Hong Kong will by next year

have nearly trebled its existing storage capacity of

16,800 million gallons of fresh water. By then the Plover

Cove reservoir will have been completed adding a further

30,500 million gallons. This would enable Hong Kong to

provide a supply throughout the year entirely from its

own resources.

In regard to food, any prolonged state of "freeze"

in trade relations with China would make it necessary for

people in Hong Kong to look to other sources of supply.

I cannot believe, however, that China would wish to end

trading relations which are of such great mutual benefit.