TNAG-2022-FCO40-2884-Chinese-use-of-force-in-respect-of-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 35

SECRET UK EYES A

From:

G A Lester, Secretàriat (Overseas) (Commitments)

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Main Building Whitehall London SW1A 2HB

Telephone: (Direct Dialling) 01-218 2084

(Switchboard) 01-218 9000

HKB 020/16

ECEIVED

DESK

Your reference INDEX

BY

19 MAR 1990

PEGISTRY

Action Take,

M V Stone

FCO/Hong Kong Department

WH 312

Our reference

Date

D/Sec (0) (C)/6/7

26 February 1990

Dew Michael,

CHINESE USE OF FORCE AGAINST HONG KONG: ROLE OF THE RHKP

3

Further to Martin Howard's letter of 26 January, which outlined the Chinese military threat to Hong Kong and our probable response to an (albeit unlikely) use of force by the PRC, you asked about the existence of any plans to deploy the Royal Hong Kong Police to defend the Territory. In particular, you wondered whether the RHKP might be used to counter units of the People's Armed Police (PAP) border guards, which are stationed in neighbouring Shenzhen.

2. We can confirm that there are no contingency plans, either extant or in preparation, for use of the RHKP against mainland armed forces. As Martin Howard pointed out, our worst-case scenario envisages major internal disorder (the most likely pretext for a Chinese incursion) combined with an external threat. Almost certainly, therefore, the RHKP would already be fully committed against the internal unrest.

3.

Under our current withdrawal plans, however, the RHKP will start to take on responsibility for border patrol duties from 1991. In the event of an attack by the PRC, those RHKP units on the border (which would probably be rather more lightly armed than the PAP) might become involved in the initial exchanges. But such use of the RHKP forms no part of CBF Hong Kong's concept of operations.

Vous

sincerely,

Gy Cebr

CC

ROW 3b

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