Mr..
W.S. Carter
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Sir.
File No..
Permt. U.S. of S.
Parly. U.S. of S.
Minister of State
Secretary of State
Your Reference...
DRAFT BRIEF.
Date...
5
February, 1967
FURTHER ACTION
(7445) 86B 25M 4/65 S.P.&D. Gp652
1
ROYAL VISITS COMMITTEE: VISIT BY H.M. THE QUEEN
TO HALAYSIA IN MAILAND, Hong Kong
Since a visit by H.M. The Queen to Malaysia and
Thailand was first suggested in 1964, we have been
considering whether it would be possible for the tour
to include a visit to Hong Kong. The matter has never
come to a decision since a firm date for the visit to
Malaysia and Thailand has not been fixed.
2. We have been reluctant to forego a visit to Hong Kong
because it would be extremely difficult to explain why
The Queen could not include it in her tour of the area.
There has never been a visit to the Colony by a reigning
British monarch. Hong Kong is now, in terms of population
and economic activity, by far the biggest of our remaining
Colonial territories. Such a visit would be the best
possible affirmation of continuing British interest, a
great fillip to local morale and fit recognition of the
immense and successful efforts which the Colony has made to
meet some very difficult post-war problems.
3. On the other hand there are strong grounds for concluding
that there might be an unacceptable Chinese reaction. They
would be likely to regard a visit as a display of British
sovereignty over Chinese territory which could not be
allowed to pass unchallenged. At the least, their reaction
might exacerbate relations with the Colony; at present it
is Chinese policy to leave the Colony alone. At the worst,
it might provoke a violent reaction which would seriously
/damage
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