TNAG-1037-FCO40-1287-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 56

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and in taking the initiative to leave Hong Kong are examined below.

Remaining in Hong Kong

26.

The administration of Hong Kong lays HMG open to criticism:

a) from Hong Kong itself. Since full representative government

is impossible, Ministers have to answer petitions and

complaints covering the whole range of government. There

are also risks of disagreement between HMG and the Government

of Hong Kong itself, for instance over trade policy.

Moreover, so long as we are responsible the potential problem

will remain of large numbers pressing at some stage for

admission to the United Kingdom.

b)

In Parliament. As in (a), Ministers are answerable for

a range of detailed matters in which they are not directly

involved. Within the United Kingdom reluctance to hang

on to our last major colony may grow" -

27. In addition, Hong Kong represents a continuing defence commitment.

The United Kingdom's possession of territory in a sensitive area

increases the risk of our involvement in international disputes. Above

all, there is a constant danger of friction with China on border and

other questions against which our present good relations with Peking

cannot provide a permanent insurance.

28. These are not at present major problems. But if confidence in

the territory began to slip as a result of serious recession, or

failure to reach an understanding in the future with China, and the

economy failed the problems of government of the colony could assume

very serious proportions.

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