their cause and to this and they lose no opportunity of critisising the Government on the grounds of any shortcomings, real or imaginary, on the part of the authorities. There is as yet no evidence to suggest that they are achieving any success in attaining this object; but there is equally no reason whatever to suppose that they have the slightest intention of abandoning their ultimate aim of undermining
the authority of the Government.
Defence
6.
It is obvious that the Colony could not be defended against a determined Chinese attack and the role of the Garrison is mainly confined to assisting the civil authorities in the maintenance of internal security and in providing a visible assurance of Her Majesty's Government's concern for the interests and well-being of the people of Hong Kong.
It
has already been stated publicly in Parliament that the withdrawal of British forces from Malaysia and Singapore in 1971 will not be permitted to cause any reduction in the strength or effectiveness of the Hong Kong Garrison; and indeed there will, at that time, be certain increases in the Garrison to allow for the fact that after 1971 any reinforcements required for the Colony will need to come from the United Kingdom and will no longer be available from Singapore.
Economic
Moreover,
7. Any set back in confidence which may have been caused by the events of 1967 has now been forgotten and the economy is booming with trade figures continually breaking records. But Hong Kong has no natural resources of its own beyond the hard work and skills of its people, and the economy of the Colony is very vulnerable to the vicissitudes of world trade. the products which Hong Kong exports to overseas markets in increasing quantities are meeting with increasing resistance on the part of those countries which are the Colony's customers. This resistance takes the form of quota or tariff barriers which importing countries erect to protect their own manufacturing
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