Xi Jinping likely to preside over military parade in Hong Kong handover anniversary
Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to review troops at the PLA’s Hong Kong garrison as part of events to mark the 20th anniversary of the city’s handover to Chinese sovereignty, according to the former PLA commander.
“It is standard practice for there to be a military review but the Central Military Commission has not yet made a final decision,” said General Zhang Shibo, a former PLA Hong Kong garrison commander.
Under the Basic Law, the central government is responsible for the defence of Hong Kong. Stationing troops in the city is also seen as a major symbol of Beijing’s sovereignty over the territory but PLA personnel have maintained a low-key presence and are rarely seen in public.
As CMC chairman, Xi is commander in chief of the People’s Liberation Army.
Zhang, who has just retired as head of the PLA National Defence University, said all former PLA Hong Kong garrison officers were invited to attend the 20th anniversary events.
It has become a custom for the national leader to visit Hong Kong every five years to mark the handover, overseeing the swearing in of the city’s chief executive, whose term is also for five years.
Hu’s predecessor, Jiang Zemin, made the trip to Hong Kong in 2002 but did not review troops in the city.
Zhang was the Hong Kong garrison’s commander in chief between 2008 and 2012 before a promotion to head up the former Beijing Military Region.
In an effort to promote trust between the troops and members of the public, the PLA opens its facilities on Stonecutters Island and in Stanley to the public each year. The garrison includes army, navy and air force personnel who are under the CMC’s direct leadership.
