TNAG-1175-FCO40-1477-Proposed-replacement-airport-for-Hong-Kong-at-Deep-Bay-or-Ch-1982 — Page 146

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CONFIDENTIAL

REPLACEMENT AIRPORT FOR HONG KONG

Problem

1.

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cc Mr Elliott FED

Mr Gray MAED ·

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Whether the Hong Kong Government should plan on siting its

replacement airport at Deep Bay or on Lantau Island.

Recommendation

2.

I recommend that we advise the Hong Kong Government not

to pursue the Deep Bay option. FED and MAED agree.

Background and Argument

3.

The background is in the Hong Kong Political Adviser's

letter of 8 February and his teleletter of 20 February. Peking's

views are in Mr Atkinson's teleletter of 25 February and those

of the Department of Trade in Mr Stevens' letter of 3 March,

which have been endorsed by MAED. (The enclosure to A need not

be read but contains some helpful maps).

4. Briefly, the arguments for the Deep Bay site are develop-

mental ones. If other considerations were equal it would make

sense to put the airport in the north west of the New Territories

where there will be considerable industrial and residential

development and where new communications facilities will in

any case be required. However, the arguments against the Deep

Bay site, on both operational and political grounds are much

stronger. They are summarised in paragraphs 4, 8 and 10 of

the Political Adviser's teleletter of 20 February. From the

operational point of view it would clearly be impracticable

to have an airport which was liable to hour by hour Chinese

/interference

CONFIDENTIAL