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Army studying legal issues for locals

Legal technicalities need to be overcome before Hongkongers can join the People's Liberation Army, the local garrison commander says.

However, Lieutenant General Zhang Shibo said the army appreciated the enthusiasm of Hong Kong people and was still studying the issues involved.

'The Hong Kong patriots and young people's enthusiasm to enrol in the army reflects their love for our country and Hong Kong. We should encourage it because we all know soldiers suffer hardship and even risk to their lives,' the commander said yesterday at the PLA barracks on Stonecutters Island.

But the Basic Law does not cover Hong Kong residents joining the PLA and the mainland's Military Service Law could not be applied to Hong Kong yet, he said. 'We need to fix other hurdles in our legal system first.'

Under the Military Service Law, local governments must offer preferential treatment to relatives of PLA soldiers, as well as provide job opportunities for veterans. The army is studying how these benefits could be extended to Hong Kong enlisters.

Zhang said the army had been moved by the more than 5,000 signatures collected by Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee's New People's Party from Hongkongers who approved of allowing people from the city to join the army.

'We are studying the issue after realising it is supported by so many Hong Kong people.'

The campaign by Ip came after Chen Bingde, chief of the general staff, said in June last year Hong Kong people would be welcome to join the army. He did not go details.

Lieutenant General Wang Zengbo, the Hong Kong garrison's political commissar, who oversees the army's cultural and political works, said the city's legal system provided the framework for allowing the army to get involved in social and charity activities, which helped strengthen national identity.

Speaking about changes since the handover, Zhang said the city had provided a military exchange platform between the army and foreign counterparts, especially regular port calls made by United States naval fighting groups.

'Promoting military exchange is also one of the missions of the PLA Hong Kong garrison.'

It should act as a window for the world on the workings of the PLA, he said. 'We have had many happy experiences dealing with US military officials, who were also willing to pay visits to our barracks.'

The comments were the first by local garrison leaders to Hong Kong media since the PLA arrived on July 1, 1997.

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