TNAG-1037-FCO40-1287-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 124

ག ས་

-64-

SECRET

carry out.

very difficult, if not impossible to

Otherwise the

h

DSR 11C

difficulties would be

relatively short-lived and would be unlikely on their own to

deter a British Government from leaving.

29.

Problems directly related to Hong Kong itself would be

}

much more serious:

British rule.

The great majority in Hong Kong would prefer/ a) Our obligations to the population. / British Ministers

•

of successive governments have stressed their readi-

ness to support Hong Kong and, by implication, to

provide a refuge for a substantial group which had

chosen not to live under Communism.

Withdrawal would

be seen in Hong Kong and outside as a betrayal and as

inconsistent with the line taken on the Falkland

Islands and Gibraltar.

b) The consequence of (a) would be demands for entry to

the United Kingdom by a substantial number of the

Hong Kong Citizens of the United Kingdom and

Colonies (at present estimated at 2.6 million) and

probably by other Hong Kong residents

who would claim a moral commitment to them by HMG.

c) There would be an immediate collapse of business

SECRET

/confidence

Dd 0532000 400 M 5/78 HMSO Bracknell