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This
people it will most affect, i.e. the people who will be
living in Hong Kong at the time. If the argument is
accepted, then clearly British control of Hong Kong must
continue for a considerable number of years to come.
necessitates a continuing strong British presence in the
armed forces and in the administration. Hong Kong cannot
proceed to internal self-government on the normal pattern
with responsibility being handed over to elected representa-
tives of the people. Neither can responsibility be handed
over to the nominated members of the Legislature who are less
likely to be acceptable to the people than career civil servants.
There is also a limit to which localisation of the civil
service can be carried out as this in turn could mean handing
over to a Chinese civil service government in due course. I
make the last point because when I met representatives of
the Senior Non-Expatriate Officers Association they pressed
strongly for a greater degree of localisation within the
Hong Kong Civil Service. We must somehow work out a balance
on these points so as to ensure that while the ultimate
control remains in British hands, the people of Hong Kong have
a greater say than at present in the formulation of policy.
8. In the short-term our aim must be to maintain the
status quo. But this does not mean sitting back and awaiting
events. The Hong Kong Government must take positive steps to
maintain stability and must promote the social as well as the
economic development of Hong Kong. To this end the Govern
ment must in future anticipate events. A passive role would
be disastrous.
9.
Public Relations
At the moment the Hong Kong Government apparently
has the consent or support of the general public. It is
perhaps questionable whether this is due to any positive action
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