Hong Kong Garrison


The People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison is a garrison of the People's Liberation Army, responsible for defence duties in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Prior to the handover in 1997, the territory was under British rule, and the defence of the territory was the responsibility of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong, with auxiliary help from the Royal Hong Kong Regiment. After the handover of Hong Kong in July 1997, China stationed a PLA garrison to manage the defence affairs of the territory.
The garrison is headquartered in Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building in Central, Hong Kong. The size of the Hong Kong garrison is approximately 10,000–12,000 personnel, including members of the People's Armed Police, People's Liberation Army Navy, People's Liberation Army Air Force, and People's Liberation Army Ground Force.

Role in Hong Kong

The People's Republic of China assumed sovereignty over Hong Kong on 1 July 1997 and the Central People's Government stationed a garrison of the People's Liberation Army in Hong Kong to manage the defense affairs of the territory. While the garrison has been considered primarily symbolic of Beijing's governance over Hong Kong, it is nevertheless asserted to be a combat-ready force.
The Hong Kong Basic Law upon the territory provides that the CPG shall be responsible for the defense of Hong Kong and shall bear the expenditure for the garrison, whereas the colonial Hong Kong Government before 1997 had to pay for the military. The Garrison Law, subsequently enacted by the National People's Congress, contains specific provisions on the duties and rules of discipline of the garrison personnel, jurisdiction and other questions, to facilitate the Hong Kong Garrison in fulfilling its defence functions along legal lines. Military forces stationed in Hong Kong shall not interfere in the local affairs and the Hong Kong government shall be responsible for the maintenance of public order. The Garrison formally stationed in Hong Kong assumed defence responsibility for Hong Kong from midnight onwards on 1 July 1997.
The Hong Kong Garrison includes elements of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under the administrative control of the adjacent Southern Theater Command.
While performing its defense duties, the Hong Kong Garrison must abide by both national and Hong Kong laws, as well as the current rules and regulations of the PLA, according to the Garrison Law, a PRC law. After its entry into Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Garrison abide by the Basic Law and the Garrison Law, actively organizing military training. According to the Garrison Law, the Garrison established working contacts with the Hong Kong Government, and opened the barracks on Stonecutters Island and Stanley to the public to promote Hong Kong people's understanding of and trust in the garrison forces and their personnel. Annual open house events are held to showcase the assets and combat readiness of the garrison personnel. Garrison troop rotations are also routine.

Insignia

Personnel in the Hong Kong Garrison wore uniforms different from their mainland counterparts until a new set of uniforms were introduced in 2007. Motor vehicles in the military are right-hand drive, like civilian vehicles in Hong Kong, and carry number plates that start with ZG, standing for zhùgǎng, Chinese for " in Hong Kong."

Command

The Hong Kong Garrison reports to both the Southern Theater Command and Central Military Commission in Beijing, and informs Hong Kong Government of any actions within or around Hong Kong.
; Garrison Commanders
; Political Commissars
  • Maj. General Xiong Ziren 1997–1999
  • Maj. General Wang Yufa 1999–2003
  • Maj. General Liu Liangkai 2003–2005
  • Lt. General Zhang Rucheng 2005–2007
  • Lt. General Liu Liangkai 2007–2010, second term
  • Lt. General Wang Zengbo 2010–2012
  • Lt. General Yue Shixin 2012–2018
  • Maj. General Cai Yongzhong 2018–present

    Properties

There are 19 sites occupied by the Garrison across Hong Kong. According to a Reuters investigation, many of these sites are run down and not fully utilised, which has caused some to argue that the land should be returned and used for housing. The Tsing Shan firing range occupies approximately 80% of the 2,750 hectares of land managed by the PLA.
File:Tai Mo Shan 4.jpg|thumb|There are three sets of spherical radar equipment on the top of the mountain. From left to right, they belong to the Hong Kong Observatory, the People's Liberation Army, and the Civil Aviation Department.
A secret 20th site is a radar facility in Tai Mo Shan, which was discovered in 2014, without the PLA informing the public, as required by the Garrison Law. It was not publicly recognized by the Hong Kong government until 2021.
The Commander lives on The Peak at Headquarters House, 11 Barker Road. Other property owned by the Garrison includes the United Services Recreation Club.

Army

Regiments/units

  • Infantry Garrison Brigade
  • PLA Hong Kong Garrison Honour Guard Battalion
  • 3 infantry battalions
  • 1 mechanized infantry battalion
  • 1 artillery battery
  • 1 engineer battalion
  • 1 reconnaissance/special ops company
  • 1 intelligence gathering battalion
  • 1 Armour Convoy
  • 1 Logistics Base, Shenzhen.
  • 1 Motor Transport Company, Shao Fei

    Bases

Bases within Hong Kong are former British facilities namely from the British Army:

Vehicles

Small arms

Navy

The naval presence in Hong Kong is a limited sub-station with a small flotilla of ships rotating from bases in the mainland China:

Squadrons

Various ships of the People's Liberation Army Navy visit the base, but only a few ships remain on semi-permanent basis.
Class or nameBuilderTypeQuantityYear Entered ServiceDetailsPhotos
Type 056 Jiangdao classHuangpu Shipyard, Guangzhou, GuangdongCorvette22013596 惠州 / Huizhou
597 钦州 / Qinzhou
  • 1 × AK-176 76 mm. gun
  • 2 × 30 mm. cannon
  • 2× 2-cell YJ-83 anti-ship missiles, amidships
  • 1 × 8-cell FL-3000N SAM launcher
  • 2 × triple 324 mm. torpedo tubes
Type 074-II Yuhai classWuhu Shipyard of Wuhu, AnhuiMedium Landing Ship32017-83357, 3358, and 3359Two 25 mm guns
Type 721Guangxi Guiyang shipyardLight transport boat21990s42 meters long, 8.8 meters wide and 2.14 meters tall. It has a full displacement of 140 tons, a speed of 33 knots and a maximum range of 300 nautical miles. It can carry 70 people and 2 tons of materials.

Air Force

Units

PLA Hong Kong Garrison has three airbases, with two of these within Hong Kong: