TS 40/1476/73
SECRET
19
COLONIAL SECRETARIAT,
HONG KONG.
17 August 1974
16
Dear Andrew,
Senior Chinese Officers
Security
Some months ago Mr. David White, Director of the Protective Security Branch of MI5, had a conversation with the Governor about the long term security problems which we might have to face, as increasing numbers of Chinese officers qualify for the highest posts in the Public Service.
2.
Although the problem is not likely to arise to any great extent within the next few years, sooner or later a substantial number of Chinese officers will occupy very senior positions. The efficiency, morale and loyalty of the Public Service will be adversely affected unless properly qualified Chinese attain the posts which their seniority, experience and abilities justify.
3.
We have, therefore, been looking at our senior posts in an effort to identify those which we feel must be occupied by officers of U.K. origin.
4.
We are, as you may know, instituting a system of positive vetting of all Administrative Officers of Staff Grade C and above as well as holders of a number of other senior posts. In all we expect to subject about 600 posts to positive vetting, rather more than 2/3rds of the total being found in the Police. An officer who cannot be given PV clearance on promotion to one of the 600 sensitive posts will be diverted to some other job which is not sensitive.
5.
However, even assuming that a Chinese officer is cleared after positive vetting, we consider that there remains a small number of posts which must be filled by an officer of U.K. origin and a few others which ought to be. We have kept the number of restricted posts to the bare minimum, as you will see from the annex.
A.0. Stuart Esq.,
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, LONDON S.W.1.
SECRET
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