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The People’s Liberation Army has a garrison in Hong Kong. Photo: EPA-EFE

Chinese military can be deployed at Hong Kong’s request to contain protests, Beijing says

  • Radical protesters are challenging mainland government’s authority and principle of ‘one country, two systems’, defence spokesman says
  • Garrison Law gives Hong Kong option of asking for PLA’s help to maintain public order
The Chinese military has said that it can be deployed to Hong Kong to maintain social order at the request of the city’s government, adding that Sunday’s siege of the mainland government’s liaison office in the city was intolerable.

Reaction to the remarks by defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian has been mixed. Critics and a business representative said it was a red line warning, but officials from the city government and a military analyst said it did not mean plans were afoot to mobilise troops.

Wu echoed Tuesday’s state media reports by saying the vandalism of the central government liaison office in Hong Kong – after weeks of mass protests against the city’s extradition bill – was a challenge to the bottom line of the principle of “one country, two systems”.

“We are closely following the developments in Hong Kong, especially the violent attack against the central government liaison office by radicals on July 21,” Wu said at a briefing on Wednesday to introduce China’s new defence white paper.

“Some behaviour of the radical protesters is challenging the authority of the central government and the bottom line of one country, two systems. This is intolerable.”

Asked how the defence ministry would handle events in Hong Kong and independence forces, Wu said only that “Article 14 of the Garrison Law has clear stipulations”, without elaborating.

The law took effect on July 1, 1997, the date of the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China. Article 14 states that the Hong Kong government – in accordance with the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution – can ask the central government for help from the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) Hong Kong garrison for the maintenance of public order and disaster relief.

Should any such request by the Hong Kong government be approved, the garrison would send troops to carry out the task, then immediately return to their station.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong government said later on Wednesday that the city was fully capable of dealing with its own affairs and maintaining public order.

“There is no need to ask for assistance from the garrison,” he said.

Meanwhile, Article 14 of Hong Kong’s Basic Law states: “Military forces stationed by the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for defence shall not interfere in the local affairs of the Region. The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may, when necessary, ask the Central People’s Government for help from the garrison in the maintenance of public order and in disaster relief.”

Hong Kong government officials downplayed Wu’s remarks, with Eric Chan Kwok-ki, director of the Chief Executive’s Office, saying the defence spokesman had just outlined the relevant provision of the Garrison Law.

“This is nothing new,” he said. “The Hong Kong government has no plan to seek help from the [PLA Hong Kong] garrison in accordance with that provision.”

Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, Hong Kong’s secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, agreed, saying Wu was simply pointing out the law.

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Zhou Chenming, a Beijing-based military analyst, also said he did not think Wu was sending a warning to Hong Kong protesters.

“Things are still under control. Even though it got ugly on the evening of July 21, protesters did not storm the liaison office,” he said.

“The PLA feels the Hong Kong SAR government is able to resolve this issue. If the government does not ask for help, the PLA will not get involved.”

Zhou said he thought a deployment of PLA troops was highly unlikely but described a scenario where government could request help.

“It could happen if mayhem was to hit Hong Kong Island, not just Central, with 100,000 or 200,000 rioters out on the streets. But I think this is impossible,” he said.

But Yue Gang, a retired PLA colonel, said Wu’s comments could be seen as a warning to the Hong Kong protesters who were more radical.

“I thought his response was restrained and in accordance with the Basic Law, but mentioning the Garrison Law could be seen as a warning to the radical protesters who were violent,” he said.

Yue did not rule out the possibility of the Hong Kong government requesting help from Beijing.

“I think the boiling point has already been reached,” he said. “The affected areas have widened, including the liaison office being surrounded. If this continues, protesters could besiege the PLA garrison next.”

Veteran China watcher Johnny Lau Yui-siu said the defence ministry spokesman’s remarks were noteworthy because they were subtly different from the mainland authorities’ long-standing stance that the PLA’s Hong Kong garrison would not interfere in the city’s internal affairs.

“Now the spokesman of the defence ministry did not say explicitly that the PLA’s Hong Kong garrison would not interfere in the city’s affairs, but instead said the ministry is closely following the developments in Hong Kong,” Lau said.

“My interpretation is that the PLA is in the stage of observing the situation in Hong Kong. The PLA’s Hong Kong garrison is like a submarine which is floating up slowly to the water level.

“Beijing is concerned about interference in Hong Kong affairs by foreign and external forces, and is using the existence of the PLA in the city to imply that it could play a role, in accordance with the laws.”

Lau said anti-government protesters should avoid attacking the facilities of the central government’s liaison office and the PLA garrison.

David Lesperance, founder of Lesperance & Associates, which advises wealthy clients on relocation and citizenship issues, said the PLA had sent a red flag to the business sector.

“The fact that China’s defence ministry would telegraph its willingness to mobilise the PLA in Hong Kong is certain to be a shock to the business community. No one wants to see a new Tiananmen in Sheung Wan,” he said.

“For local and international businesspeople in Hong Kong, this is a red flag, a sign that things could get much worse.”

The Hong Kong branch of American Chamber of Commerce and Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce declined to comment on the matter.

The leader of the pro-democracy Civic Party, Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, acknowledged that Beijing’s line had become slightly tougher, which he said was worrying.

“It is up to the Hong Kong government to send the world a message on how it would uphold and protect the city’s autonomy,” he said.

“It is the government’s responsibility to reassure not only Hong Kong people but also Beijing and the world that it has the capability to keep things under control.”

Seven weeks of demonstrations against proposed changes to Hong Kong’s extradition laws have been punctuated by violent clashes between protesters and police, fuelling Hongkongers’ anger at the city government, whose embattled leader continues to resist calls to resign.

Nip urged Hong Kong citizens not to resort to violence when expressing their views.

“The government has given the most practical and feasible response, though not everyone finds it satisfactory or acceptable,” he said.

Additional reporting by Tony Cheung, Linda Lew and Kimmy Chung

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Beijing says city can ask for PLA garrison’s help
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