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comprises three infantry battalions (two of which are Gurkha)
plus other Army support units, three RN patrol craft and a
squadron of eight RAF Wessex helicopters. Its current role is to
help demonstrate British sovereignty over Hong Kong and to
support the civil administration and the Royal Hong Kong Police
(RHKP) including the maintenance of law and order if so required.
It has no remit to defend the Territory against major military
aggression from China, nor does it have the capacity to do so.
Under the 1988 Defence Costs Agreement (DCA), 65% of the full
costs of the garrison are met by the Hong Kong government.
1992/3, this amounted to £135m.
In
3. The garrison has to be withdrawn in its entirety by 30 June
1997. For a period of up to a year to 30 June 1997 the land
element of the garrison will be provided by a single UK
battalion. This will be accomplished by two battalions in
succession, each of which will complete one temporary
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unaccompanied deployment of up to six months. Current Blans
lans for
the period prior to that envisage a staged withdrawal of forces,
with the aim of maintaining a balanced military capability, based
around two infantry battalions, to carry out the tasks set out
above until late 1996, taking into account improvements that have
been and continue to be made in the ability of the RHKP to carry
out internal security functions. (For example, the RHKP now have
full responsibility for policing the Sino-Hong Kong border.)
However, the requirement for the land element of the garrison and
the RAF and Army helicopters deployed to support it is being
increasingly questioned in the Territory. The Finance Committee
of LEGCO effectively has a power of veto over any government
expenditure proposals. It is the Governor's judgement that the
PA/S/2.033
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