Reference..
Extract's from Hong Kong debate in Lords
on 22N's June 1467
[Lord Moynihan.]
Hong Kong is a borrowed place, living on borrowed time. We must be fully prepared to pull out of it if the necessity to do so arises. What I should like to see is some plan for an organised withdrawal in the case of military attack. China is; under pressure from other Communist countries, who are laughing at the Chinese and saying, "You cannot set yourselves up as authorities on world Communism when you have a colonial Power sitting on your own territory". This argument in itself might weigh the balance in the minds of the rulers of Communist, China] and force them to feel that the political gain would outweigh the economic loss if they were to remove us militarily from the Colony. We all hope that it is not going to happen, and I certainly agree with that; but are there any plans for the evacuation of Hong Kong if it be- comes necessary? This is a question which I should like the noble Lord, Lord Beswick, to answer when he comes to speak.
I should like to add a few brief com- ments on the observations about the Chinese attitude. Some of them were helpful, and I much enjoyed listening to
[Lord Beswick.]
what was said by the noble Lord, Lord Bourne, and my noble friend Lord Rhodes. I did not find myself in such close agreement with some of the other speculations-if I may call them that-- from the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan.
LORD MOYNIHAN: My Lords, if I may interrupt the noble Lord I should like to say that it is not so much a ques- tion of "speculation". We all hope that something like that will never happen. What I asked the noble Lord was whether there were any plans in case something like that did happen, much to everybody's consternation.
LORD BESWICK: My Lords, I am certain noble Lords generally will not expect me to disclose such matters in this House.
LORD RHODES: Of course not.
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