TNAG-1326-FCO40-1738-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 115

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CONFIDENTIAL

(G) DEFENCE

22.

Some members have referred to the stationing of Chinese troops in Hong Kong after 1997.

1997. The agreement does not state whether such

troops will be stationed there or not, but clearly no one would

dispute the right of a country to station troops in any part of the territory over which it has sovereignty if it wishes to do so. The agreement makes clear that the PRC will be responsible for the SAR's defence, but that public order will be a matter for the SAR

Government. It also states that PLA troops stationed in Hong Kong

will not interfere in its internal affairs.

[ DEFENSIVE]

23. Some members have referred to the question of conscription.

The draft agreement does not deal with the question of conscription; there is certainly no suggestion in it that there will be conscription in the SAR, nor have the Chinese made any suggestion

that there will be. Given the PRC's overall responsibility for

defence, this is obviously a question for them. But I would hope that they would take account of the strong views which have been expressed on the subject in Hong Kong.

CONFIDENTIAL