Chinese army’s Hong Kong chief says troops are ready to protect nation’s sovereignty
- Commander of People’s Liberation Army’s Hong Kong garrison comments on Hong Kong for first time since protests against extradition bill began in June
- Garrison releases three-minute propaganda video that includes anti-riot drills and refers to Hong Kong
The chief of the Chinese military garrison in Hong Kong has spoken for the first time about the ongoing unrest in the city, warning that violent clashes would not be tolerated and that the army was determined to protect China’s sovereignty.
Chen Daoxiang, the commander of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) Hong Kong garrison, made the warning at a reception in Hong Kong celebrating the 92nd anniversary of the Chinese military on Wednesday, when the garrison also released a promotional video showing various activities and stating that troops stationed in the city were able to protect its long-term stability.
One of the scenes in the video features a soldier shouting in Cantonese during an anti-riot drill: “All consequences are at your own risk.”
“Recently, there have been a series of extremely violent incidents happening in Hong Kong,” he said at the reception, held at the garrison’s central barracks in Admiralty on Hong Kong Island.
