Mainland China robots join bomb squad to keep Hong Kong safe over National Games
Robot makers tailor ‘Panda’ and ‘Red Panda’ to city’s needs as experts undergo intensive training in run-up to sports spectacle
Hong Kong’s bomb squad has turned to tailor-made robots from mainland China amid geopolitical tensions, as it intensifies drills against home-made explosives in preparation for the National Games.
Superintendent Andy Cheung Lap-tak of the explosive ordnance disposal bureau told the Post that bomb disposal officers had been advising authorities on potential security risks during the Games and would be present during the events to ensure overall safety.
Cheung explained that organisers who lacked experience with bomb threats could imagine “dramatic scenarios that were unrealistic” and more suited to the cinema than reality.
In such cases, the bomb disposal team would step in to provide accurate advice and guidance, he said.
With the Games set to kick off this Sunday, the city’s experts have been training to dispose of home-made bombs, small explosives such as mortar bombs and grenades, as well as gathering intelligence on the latest bomb attack trends and threats.
The squad’s 20-odd full-time specialists would also tailor their training according to the latest global intelligence on bomb threats and assist the organisers of the Games in assessing and planning for bomb threats and vulnerabilities.