People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison

People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison
The Hong Kong Garrison of the People's Liberation Army entering Hong Kong for the first time in 1997
Traditional Chinese	中國人民解放軍駐香港部隊
Simplified Chinese	中国人民解放军驻香港部队
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn Zhù Xiānggǎng Bùduì Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping zung1 gwok3 jan4 man4 gaai2 fong3 gwan1 zyu3 hoeng1 gong2 bou6 deoi6*2

The People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison is a garrison of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) responsible for defence duties of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region since the sovereignty of Hong Kong was returned to the PRC in 1997. Prior to the handover, Hong Kong was under British rule, and the defence of Hong Kong was the responsibility of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong.

As a non-sovereign territory, Hong Kong has never had a military force of its own. The garrison is headquartered in Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building in Central, Hong Kong. The troop strength at the garrison is about 6,000 personnel.

Role in Hong Kong

The Central People's Government (CPG) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) assumed sovereignty over Hong Kong on 1 July 1997 and stationed a garrison of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Hong Kong to manage its defence affairs. Although the garrison has no military significance, the stationing of the PLA troops in the region is a significant symbol of the PRC government's resumption of exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong. It is also an imperative guarantee for the conservation of state sovereignty and sanctuary and the upholding of the region's long-term prosperity and stability.

The Basic Law provides that the CPG shall be responsible for the defence 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 starting midnight 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 administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region.

While performing its defence 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. After its entry into Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Garrison abide by the Basic Law and the Garrison Law, actively organising 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 troops.

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, and carry number plates that start with ZG, standing for zhugang (駐港).

Command

The Hong Kong Garrison reports to both the Guangzhou Military Region and Central Military Commission in Beijing, and informs Hong Kong Government of any actions within or around Hong Kong.

The commanders of the Garrions are as follows:

• Major General Zhang Shibo 2008-present.
• Major General Liu Liangkai - Political commissar of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison.
• Senior Colonel Chen Xuekui -Commandant of the Shenzhen Base of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison.

Past commanders:

• Lieutenant General Wang Jitang - Commander of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison.

Army

Regiments/Units

• Infantry Garrison Brigade. (Air Assault) (Unit 53300)

Formerly the 1st Red Regiment of 1st Red Division, 1st Red Army. In 1949, the regiment comprised the 424th Regiment, 142nd Division, 48th Army. In 1952, the 142nd Division was assigned to 55th Army and the 424th Regiment renamed the 430th Regiment. In 1970, the 144th Division was renamed as the 163rd Division and 430th Regiment renamed as 487th Regiment.

• 3 infantry battalions. (Air Assault/Heliborne)
• 1 mechanised infantry battalion.
• 1 artillery battery.
• 1 engineer battalion.
• 1 recon/Special Ops company. (named 5-min Response Unit, some of them later transferred to the Macau Garrison to form the a new Quick Reaction Platoon there)
• 1 intelligence gathering battalion.
• 1 Armour Convoy.
• 1 Logistics Base, Shenzhou. (Unit 53310)
• 1 Motor Transport Company, Shao Fei.

Bases

• Central Barracks - PLA Army - formerly HMS Tamar.
• Ching Yi To Barracks - formerly part of Victoria Barracks.
• Osborn Barracks - PLA Army.
• Stanley Barracks - PLA Army - home of 5-min Response Unit.
• Stonecutter Barracks - PLA Navy.
• Shek Kong Airfield, Sek Kong Barracks - PLA Air Force.
• Shenzhou, China.^{[citation needed]}

Equipment

Model	Type	Number	Dates	Builder	Details
Type 92	6 wheeled armored personnel carrier	21	1980s	Norinco,  People's Republic of China	With 12.7mm machine gun
Type 56C	5.8 mm assault rifle	N/A	N/A	Norinco,  People's Republic of China
Type 88	5.8 mm sniper rifle	N/A	N/A	Norinco,  People's Republic of China
QBZ-95	5.8 mm automatic assault rifle	N/A	N/A	Norinco,  People's Republic of China
QBZ-03	5.8 mm automatic assault rifle	N/A	N/A	Norinco,  People's Republic of China
QCW-05	submachine gun	N/A	N/A	Norinco,  People's Republic of China
Type 87 grenade launcher	grenade launcher	N/A	N/A	Norinco,  People's Republic of China
Type 95 Squad Machine Gun	Light machine gun	N/A	N/A	Norinco,  People's Republic of China
Type 92 pistol	pistol	N/A	N/A	Norinco,  People's Republic of China
Jiefang CA-30	utility truck	N/A	N/A	First Automobile Works, Changchun,  People's Republic of China
EQ2050A	Humvee	N/A	2010		Chinese copy of HMMWV
JH600 Duke	motorcycle	N/A	N/A	Jialing	Copy of BMW F650*

• Although cosmetically similar to the BMW single cylinder F650 and G650 models, in all important aspects (motor, sub-frame, suspension, controls) the JH600 is a unique design.

Navy

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

Squadrons

• Squadron 38081 - a naval squadron of the South Sea Fleet.

Bases

• Stonecutter's Island (Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base) - formerly HMS Tamar.

Fleet

Class or name	Builder	Type	Quantity	Year Entered Service	Details
Houjian Class	Huangpu Shipyard, Guangzhou,  People's Republic of China	Missile Boat	6	1990s	5 C-801 Anti-Ship Missile, 1 Twin 37 mm Anti-Aircraft Gun and 2 twin 30 mm Cannons.
Type 074 Yuhai (Wuhu-A) Class	Wuhu Shipyard of Wuhu, Anhui,  People's Republic of China	Medium Landing Ship	2	1995-2000	2 25 mm Guns.

Air Force

Units

• 1 helicopter squadron (PLAAF # 39968) at local Shek Kong Airbase.
• 1 fighter squadron at Guangdong Airbase.

Bases

PLA Hong Kong Garrison has three air bases with only one within Hong Kong:

• Shek Kong Airfield.
• Shadi Air Base, west of Guangzhou, Guangdong.
• Shigang Air Base, Guangdong.^{[citation needed]}

Aircraft Inventory

Aircraft	Country of Manufacture	Type	In Service	Notes
Harbin Z-9	People's Republic of China	utility helicopter	12 - at Sek Kong Airfield	upgraded variant of AS 565 Panther and SA 360 Dauphin 2
Changhe Z-8KH	People's Republic of China	search and rescue helicopter	4 - at Sek Kong Airfield

See also

• Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building

External links and references

• PLA in Hong Kong
• PLA in Hong Kong - China Defence
• PLA Ground Force Equipment
• PLA Navy Equipment
• PLAAF Equipment
• Houjian-Class Description