TNAG-0616-FCO40-764-Policy-of-UK-on-status-of-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 249

SEORET

f. The New Left: the New Left elements, the only groups

deliberately intent upon causing disorder in Hong Kong, are

disunited, have little popular appeal and are squeezed between

general apathy and outright communist hostility. Their hard

core strength is only around 100. They nevertheless constitute

a slight threat in that they are irresponsible; and

International terrorism. Hong Kong has an international

airport, an important harbour, and a large business and

diplomatic community. It thus contains the sort of targets

which have been selected by international terrorists for

outrages elsewhere in the world. Though the present assess-

ment is that Hong Kong is no more likely than the UK to be

used for such incidents, the threat of terrorist action is a

real one.

SECRET

RET