It probably wouldn't work in a real hostage crisis, but Hong Kong's finest have managed to negotiate the release of 27 'captives' in exchange for some chicken rice and a few bars of chocolate.
Thirty members of the elite Flying Tigers police squad came to the rescue in an anti-terrorism exercise involving 1,400 people early yesterday at Chek Lap Kok airport.
Four armed 'terrorists' hijacked an airport shuttle bus in the exercise, initially taking hostage 45 'passengers' from a Middle Eastern country who were on their way to the terminal for a transit flight to New Zealand.
Police negotiators played their last card - the chicken rice - after 18 'hostages' were released and the remaining 27 included the son of the fictional Middle Eastern nation's premier.
Speaking through a loud-hailer in a calm monotone, a police negotiator told the hostage-takers: 'We have chicken rice and sweetcorn. The rice is very hot. The other good news is that we also have chocolate and water.'
Sadly, the chocolate was not enough to ensure a peaceful resolution. Police 'shot dead' one of the terrorists and 'injured' another after diverting their attention by throwing flares around the bus.
