TNAG-1155-FCO40-1435-Visits-by-Members-of-Parliament-(MPs)-to-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 59

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Military Briefing

This was conducted by the Commander British Forces, Major General

J L Chapple CBE and his staff. It was as follows:

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In 1856 Hongkong island was ceded in perpetuity to Great Britain.

In 1860 the Kowloon Peninsular and Stonecutters Island were also ceded

In 1898 in perpetuity and leases were given over the New Territories.

The development of Hongkong was proceeding apace with a considerable

amount of land being reclaimed from the sea. Hongkong was now the

3rd largest container port in the world and had a turn round of only

16 hours. 42 airlines used its airport. A new airport was being

designed for the 1990s and the present mass transit system carried over 1 million persons a day. The population was now 5.2 million and was increasing by 100,000 a year. 98% of the population was Chinese and

47% was under the age of 25.

100 new flats were being built every day and 2 million persons were now

accommodated in public housing. 150,000 families were still squatters

but 35000 units a year were being built. There were also 80,000 boat

people.

In 1980 the home base policy had ended. As a result illegal immigration had dropped from some 100,000 to 10,000 a year. the Chinese authority were allowed entry.

There were 9,500 Service personnel in the Colony.

Those with permits from

Of these 8,500 were

in the Army, 250 in the Air Force, 700 in the Royal Navy, 700 MOD and

7500 dependents, making a total of 17,500.

Pre 1975 the Hongkong Government paid for only 10% of defence expenditure. A new agreement was reached in 1975 in which the Hongkong Government paid

75% and the UK Government 25%. This was accompanied by the release of

service land, a reduction of service units and their re-organisation.

There was also a review of the level of building and the re-housing of

service units was provided 100% by the Hongkong Government. At this time the guard ship frigate, the artillery and the armour returned to the UK.

Service units are now entirely for internal security. The new organisation

started in April 1976 and had worked well. The Battalion in Brunei

provided the in theatre reinforcements.