There
new arrangement for the administration of Hong Kong.
seems no reason why the Chinese should seek other than
cosmetic changes in the RHKPF (eg, the dropping of the prefix
'Royal') as part of an agreement on the continuation of
British administration after 1997 in return for acknowledgement
of Chinese sovereignty. Nor should there be any adverse
effect on recruitment (expatriate and local) or the morale
of the force.
}
Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region (SAR)
15.
If Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region
of the PRC the Chinese might demand more substantial changes
in the force. Much more would depend on what these were,
but any serious distortion of the present character of the
RHKPF would cast doubt on Chinese guarantees about continuing
future administration and would undermine confidence. The
transfer of responsibility for law and order and internal
security to the Chinese authorities, and the transformation
of the RHKPF into an organ of the Chinese Public Security
Bureau would of course be completely unacceptable.
16.
Even if the Chinese agreed that the responsibilities
and character of the RHKPF should remain eventually unchanged
there could be changes in the attitudes and loyalties of local
officers which could inhibit the effectiveness of the force
in controlling disturbances or carrying out other internal
- 7
-
/security
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.