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24.
Britain and Hong Kong
The relationship between Britain and Hong Kong is anomalous, certainly as compared with our relations with most other Dependent Territories. As with our Dependent Territories, the Secretary of State continues to be constitutionally responsible to Parliament; but our ability to promote policies there, unlike other such territories, has been greatly weakened with the years. The latter has to some extent been a gradual and inevitable process, given the self-sustaining nature of the economy and its increasing sophistication; the development of substantial interests of its own; and the size and overwhelmingly Chinese character of its population. But equally, Hong Kong's independence of action was created by a willingness of successive Governments in London to allow the relaxation of requirements for accountability, particularly in the fiscal field,
have bee a hitach which area feature of our relations with other Dependent Territories: successive Governments here have been much preoccupied with colonial problems in other parts of the world and were prepared to allow a good deal more local autonomy in Hong Kong which seems to have been generally regarded as well-managed and capable of looking after itself. The resources devoted to Hong Kong affairs in the Office/ have thus abbhot reffene in office/ have thus in general been minimal and the dispersal of those with colonial experience has resulted in staffing the- responsible Department with officers of general diplomatic, as opposed to colonial administrative, experience. This was perhaps understandable given
rufficial for the policy of active encouragement of the Hong Kong
a marution Government's own policies and of promoting ideas which
have commended themselves to successive Ministers as mile but not
adequate for close like
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a result of the normal political processes here. But it has not been conducive to maintaining the close
Proper links necessary for a relationship with a Crown Colony.
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25. The burden of maintaining the essential Whitehall/Hong Kong connection is carried in Hong Kong by the Governor whose role is crucial both in giving the lead in Hong Kong and defending the Colony's
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/interests
8507 D.073939 200M. 11/74 Cr.P.C. Gp.839/3
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