London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Hong Kong PLA garrison troops chase fugitives in drill as national security law is passed

Ground, navy and air force personnel take part in exercise testing their ability to intercept people trying to flee by boat. It was staged the same day Beijing’s top legislative body passed controversial legislation for the city

Troops from the Hong Kong garrison of the People’s Liberation Army tested their ability to intercept fugitives trying to flee by boat in a drill in the city on Tuesday.

The exercise involved ground, navy and air force personnel and was staged at a sensitive time – the same day Beijing’s top legislative body passed a controversial national security law for Hong Kong.

Special troops, air defence soldiers, warships and aircraft carried out maritime and island searches to “comprehensively test the Hong Kong garrison’s defence capabilities”, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

“We aimed to track down the fugitive in the first attempt and intercept the suspect,” one of the PLA soldiers told the broadcaster.

Nearly two minutes of footage aired in the report showed military personnel stopping and searching a vessel, using helicopters to locate fugitives after they left their boat and fled to an island, and apprehending them.

There was also a search and rescue operation, and a joint air and sea patrol was conducted in Victoria Harbour after the drill, the footage showed.

The state broadcaster said the PLA garrison had also vowed to defend the “one country, two systems” framework to safeguard security and peace in Hong Kong.

It came the same day the National People’s Congress Standing Committee in Beijing unanimously approved a law for Hong Kong that prohibits acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security.

The law, which has drawn international condemnation, is expected to take effect on Wednesday, the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China from British rule.

Drills carried out by the PLA’s Hong Kong garrison have drawn attention since anti-government protests began in the city last summer, and they have been seen as sending a warning to potential separatists. On Sunday, official newspaper PLA Daily released a video of sharpshooters taking part in intensive live-fire drills and sniper training at an unidentified firing range in Hong Kong.

Footage of the training, which reportedly took the form of a shooting contest, also showed soldiers crawling with their rifles and shooting while lying on a swinging board. A senior officer in the video said the drills were designed to get shooters prepared for “actual combat”.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×