TNAG-0059-FCO40-95-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 12

I should, perhaps, make it clear that we

are thinking only of the medium and long term

policy for the defence of the Colony.

We

would not wish to press for any permanent

I

fighter presence to be stationed in Hong Kong

so long as it continues to be possible to

provide detachments for the Colony from

fighter aircraft deployed in the theatre.

But we would ask that while we can maintain

cover from Singapore every effort be made to

maintain and, if possible, to step up the

frequency of such detachments in order to

meet the point made in the last sentence of

paragraph 7 of the Governor's saving despatch.