China Coast Guard posts video of patrols off Hong Kong as Xi Jinping’s Macau visit puts onus on security
- Footage shows authorities foiling smugglers and border crossings, although without stating when it took place or the origin of those involved
- It comes amid protests in Hong Kong and before Xi’s expected visit to Macau for the 20th anniversary of its handover
The authorities have captured hundreds of suspects in a recent campaign, including 190 for illegal border crossing and 379 for goods smuggling, the China Coast Guard (CCG) said on Monday in the video, which it posted on Weibo.
There were 19 cases of illegal crossing, involving 16 ships, and 404 smuggling cases, involving 371 vessels, according to the video, which does not specify which dates the operations covered or the origins of the people and vessels.
The video also shows CCG ships circling and spraying a cargo ship, frogmen diving under water, and heavily armed officers holding assault guns boarding smaller boats, along with an announcement in Mandarin and Cantonese.
“This is the China Coast Guard. In any waters of China we protect your safety and fight crimes of all kinds,” it states.
At one point in the video, officers chase and subdue a man on a boat at night. Another clip shows an inspection of a cabin and the announcement: “Here are four foreigners.”
Protests and violence in Hong Kong had increased the vigilance of the coastguard, according to military commentator Song Zhongping.
Mega bridge technicians guilty in HK$58 million fraud case
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge was seen as an important site to protect after Beijing said that the ongoing anti-government protests in Hong Kong had included elements of terrorism, Song said.
The bridge, the world’s longest sea crossing, connects Hong Kong with Macau and the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong. Completed last year, it is protected against any potential attack by security plans in which the CCG – now part of the Chinese People’s Armed Police – shares counterterrorism responsibilities.
“The coastguard also prevents any illegal items, especially dangerous material that could cause mass destruction, being smuggled into Hong Kong from the sea,” Song said.
