China's one party Parliament in Beijing decided on May 28, 2020 to apply China's national security laws to Hong Kong. This is unsurprising as I predicted on July 2, 2019 that this may happen, saying:
"Perhaps a broader circle of democracy activists in Hong Kong will also be arrested. The Beijing Government can suspend the legal convention that the PLA cannot interfere in Hong Kong's internal affairs. This is because the PLA has always had an underlying or active role in internal security for all regions of China."
National security laws in most developed countries, including China, cover 4 categories:
- terrorism,
- foreign interference,
- secession and
- generally subversion.
Secession and subversion would include undermining the authority of China. even including insults to the National Anthem.
Apart from the obvious police presence what most people inside and outside Hong Kong don't know is that China already draws on 10s of 1,000s of people including military/PLA (see below) and civilian agencies (I'll discuss them on Monday).
Some are inside Hong Kong and even more outside (operating remote security technology that focusses on Hong Kong) to address the 4 categories.
China’s Armed Forces Garrison in Hong Kong
The People's Liberation Army's (PLA's) Hong Kong Garrison has more than 12,000 men headquartered in the PLA’s 28 storey Hong Kong Building (aka the “Prince of Wales Building” (image below courtesy "Exploringlife")) in the center of the city.
The Garrison previously concentrated
on external defence but under Beijing’s legal changes will grow significantly and with an internal security mission – especially against protesters.
Elements of the Garrison include:
- Army (infantry, artillery, special operations commandos, armoured vehicles (with machine guns) and (significantly) an “intelligence gathering battalion”. That intelligence gathering battalion may supply some of the manpower for China's NSA to monitor landline communications/internet and mobile phones in Hong Kong, undersea cable traffic going through entering/leaving and satellite communications.
- Navy, and
- Air Force (especially helicopters carrying troops, sensors and door gunners).
The Garrison is under direct leadership of Beijing’s Central Military Commission. The Garrison's local commander is Major General Chen Daoxiang (2019–present) and the Garrison’s essential Political Commissar is Major General Cai Yongzhong (2018–present who makes sure the PLA loyally carries out the Communist Party's commands).
More about Hong Kong's civilian security intelligence apparatus on Monday.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In scenes intentionally evoking the cannot-be-talked-about Tiananmen Square Massacre is the Video above which includes:
0 to 40 seconds in - dark, forbidding music, footage of PLA troops firing assault rifles, aiming a
handgun, firing sniper's rifle
40 to 58 seconds - anti-riot drill against student-like "protesters"
58s - 1min 25 secs - armoured cars (can be called "wheeled armoured personnel carriers") crushing
barricades, barbed wire, water canon, protesters herded under guard, 14.5mm
heavy machine guns, more armoured cars
1min 25secs to 2min - off on tangent showing PLA's naval, attack helicopter, artillery-missile and
anti-aircraft might
2min 2secs to the End - happy music, the peaceful alternative of military parades in front of
appreciative, patriotic, cheering crowds and PLA civil assistance roles,
raising flag, gaily goose-stepping.
"Perhaps a broader circle of democracy activists in Hong Kong will also be arrested. The Beijing Government can suspend the legal convention that the PLA cannot interfere in Hong Kong's internal affairs. This is because the PLA has always had an underlying or active role in internal security for all regions of China."
National security laws in most developed countries, including China, cover 4 categories:
- terrorism,
- foreign interference,
- secession and
- generally subversion.
Secession and subversion would include undermining the authority of China. even including insults to the National Anthem.
Apart from the obvious police presence what most people inside and outside Hong Kong don't know is that China already draws on 10s of 1,000s of people including military/PLA (see below) and civilian agencies (I'll discuss them on Monday).
Some are inside Hong Kong and even more outside (operating remote security technology that focusses on Hong Kong) to address the 4 categories.
China’s Armed Forces Garrison in Hong Kong
The People's Liberation Army's (PLA's) Hong Kong Garrison has more than 12,000 men headquartered in the PLA’s 28 storey Hong Kong Building (aka the “Prince of Wales Building” (image below courtesy "Exploringlife")) in the center of the city.
Elements of the Garrison include:
- Army (infantry, artillery, special operations commandos, armoured vehicles (with machine guns) and (significantly) an “intelligence gathering battalion”. That intelligence gathering battalion may supply some of the manpower for China's NSA to monitor landline communications/internet and mobile phones in Hong Kong, undersea cable traffic going through entering/leaving and satellite communications.
- Navy, and
- Air Force (especially helicopters carrying troops, sensors and door gunners).
The Garrison is under direct leadership of Beijing’s Central Military Commission. The Garrison's local commander is Major General Chen Daoxiang (2019–present) and the Garrison’s essential Political Commissar is Major General Cai Yongzhong (2018–present who makes sure the PLA loyally carries out the Communist Party's commands).
More about Hong Kong's civilian security intelligence apparatus on Monday.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 to 40 seconds in - dark, forbidding music, footage of PLA troops firing assault rifles, aiming a
handgun, firing sniper's rifle
40 to 58 seconds - anti-riot drill against student-like "protesters"
58s - 1min 25 secs - armoured cars (can be called "wheeled armoured personnel carriers") crushing
barricades, barbed wire, water canon, protesters herded under guard, 14.5mm
heavy machine guns, more armoured cars
1min 25secs to 2min - off on tangent showing PLA's naval, attack helicopter, artillery-missile and
anti-aircraft might
2min 2secs to the End - happy music, the peaceful alternative of military parades in front of
appreciative, patriotic, cheering crowds and PLA civil assistance roles,
raising flag, gaily goose-stepping.
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