SECRET
21.
international respect for it during the run-up to the
proposed attempt to negotiate about its future with the
Chinese in the mid-1980s. Fourthly we must avoid
grounds for misunderstanding on the part of the Chinese
of any intention on our part to disturb their interests
in Hong Kong by change in the basic political and
financial characteristics of the Colony to which they
have become accustomed or are of importance to them or
their supporters; this consideration will have particular
force in the period of uncertainty which has begun
in China. There is a very wide measure of overlap between
these requirements. They call for a considerable and
sustained effort of construction, administration and
legislation by the Hong Kong Government, to accelerate
and where necessary expand, and to complete existing
social programmes by the mid-80s.
21.
The Hong Kong administration has made
significent progress in overcoming the problems created
by the massive inflow of refugees which swamped the
social infrastructure of the Colony. In 1972 and '73
the administration announced a series of plans aimed at
eliminating deficiencies by the mid-'80s. These are
considered in Annex C and described in more detail in
Annex D. Those covering housing and the development of
new towns, and education, can be relied on to achieve
satisfactory and even dramatic results; the medical and
health service expansion programme is also fully
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