TNAG-0123-FCO40-159-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 42

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B. BRITISH INTERESTS

Political

3. Hong Kong is of political benefit to us as a Free World

enclave on the mainland of China, demonstrating that a "free" society, even (of necessity) without representative government, is preferable in the eyes of many Chinese to the communist

society of China. Chinese influence has ensured that its

retention by us has not been a target of the anti-colonial

lobby at the United Nations. Its loss to China would be a

severe blow to Free World prestige in Asia and would correspondingly boost China's prestige particularly among the overseas Chinese in South East Asia. Our presence there is a British contribution to inter-dependence. The Americans

recognise its usefulness.

4. There are on the other hand a number of political disadvantages in our position. Our inability to develop representative institutions in the Colony is a startling

anomaly in our post-war record of colonial administration;

while this has not so far embarrassed us in the international field (e.g. in the United Nations), it is occasionally an object of critical comment in this country, both in Parliament

and elsewhere. Difficult problems may lie ahead as there emerges a generation brought up and educated in Hong Kong in western ways for whose energies there can be no outlet in political activities and for whose aspirations for a secure national identity there can be no solution other than China, Moreover our position in Hong Kong clouds our relations with

China and might stand in the way of their improvement. The attack on our Mission in Peking in August, 1967, was the

direct result of our refusal to comply with a Chinese ultimatum demanding that a ban on three communist newspapers be lifted. It is probable that members of the British

Mission in China were held as hostages by the Chinese in order to try to secure concessions on Hong Kong. The

Chinese might still hope that detention of other British

Subjects will help to achieve their objectives though in view of their failure to use the Mission for this purpose this may be largely to satisfy their supporters in Hong Kong.

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/Economi