At Stonecutters Island Barracks, the Honor Guard of the Hong Kong Garrison walks past the audience during the "Barracks Open Day" (photo taken on July 1, 2016). Twenty years ago, with the rising of the five-star red flag, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army opened a new chapter of garrisoning troops under the "one country, two systems" condition. Over the past 20 years, the Hong Kong Garrison has made positive contributions to the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong with a good image of might and civilization, and has delivered excellent answers. Posted by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Zhou Hanqing)
Xinhua News Agency, Hong Kong, June 20, title: Hong Kong Defenders Red Flag – Documentary of the 20th anniversary of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s entry into Hong Kong
Wang Hongshan, Wang Yushan, Zhou Hanqing
On June 13, 2017, a major news spread all over the country –
The top leader of the Central Military Commission recently signed an order to award the honorary title of "Hong Kong Garrison Model Special Operations Company" to a special operations company of a brigade stationed in Hong Kong.
20 years of wind and rain have forged loyalty, and 20 years of military flags shine across Xiangjiang. First Company is just a microcosm of the faithful performance of the mission of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Garrison in Hong Kong.
Twenty years ago, with the rising of the five-star red flag, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army opened a new chapter of garrisoning troops under the "one country, two systems" condition.
Over the past 20 years, the Hong Kong Garrison has made positive contributions to Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability with a strong and civilized image, and has delivered excellent results.
20 years, the original intention remains unchanged
Beautiful Victoria Harbour, rippling blue waves, ebb and flow.
"Capitalism outside the wall, socialism within the wall" is the most vivid portrayal of the Hong Kong garrison.
Since 2012, the party committee of the garrison has carefully prepared 24 party classes around the theme of cultivating a new generation of "four have" soldiers stationed in Hong Kong, with the theme of "forging the soul of a strong army", one class per month and one cycle every two years.
A hall full of knowledge, outstanding interest of the party class, so that the theory of indoctrination and ideological guidance radiate a strong attraction and appeal, the majority of officers and soldiers have consciously participated in it.
In July 2016, Wu Tian, a sergeant at the Central Aircraft Station, led a training session at the Hong Kong Youth Military Summer Camp. During the study discussion, a Hong Kong middle school student asked, "Which do you think is better, socialism or capitalism?" Wu Tian used the data and facts accumulated during the study to talk about the remarkable achievements in the country’s economic construction since the founding of New China, especially since the reform and opening up, and the fruitful achievements in science and technology, education, culture, pension, medical care, etc., which won applause from the students and gave her thumbs up.
Creating a culture with the characteristics of the garrison in Hong Kong is a useful experience for the garrison. They have vigorously strengthened the construction of the political environment in the camp, launched the "Strong Army Battle Song" singing competition and the "Soldiers Write Soldiers, Soldiers Exercise Soldiers, Soldiers Sing Soldiers" mass literary and artistic creation, so that officers and soldiers can purify their spiritual homeland and adhere to the moral high ground under the influence of the strong army culture, and evoke responsibility in tracing the past and tracing the source.
Chen Hongyu, a college student soldier who enlisted in the army in 2016, was a little confused about the contrast between life inside and outside the wall at first. After watching the "Gao Qing Spirit Battle Flag" educational film "Tashan Battle Flag Flying Forever", Chen Hongyu was quite touched: "Look at the scenes of the bloody battles of the martyrs, think about the arduous struggles of my predecessors, living in a peaceful era, I have no reason to retreat, no matter what, I can’t be a’deserter ‘!"
How to straighten the question marks in the minds of officers and soldiers?
Yue Shixin, political commissar of the Hong Kong garrison, said: "In the special environment of’one country, two systems’, in the face of the confrontation between the two social systems and the impact of multiple ideological cultures, from the day we entered Hong Kong, the party committee of the Hong Kong garrison has regarded casting the soul of the army and purifying the soul as the first task and eternal task of the garrison’s military management and army building."
20 years on a mission
Defense under the "one country, two systems" formula has an unusual mission.
The party committee of the garrison closely revolves around the "center" of military training, takes the initiative to "want to win, seek to win, and practice to win" as the fundamental content of performing its duties, insists on establishing a clear orientation of fighting as a soldier from the "beginning of the army", distinguishes between recruits, grassroots backbones, detachment officers, and staff officers, and organizes activities of "hanging gold medals and being a pacesetter" throughout the year.
In February 2017, at the scene of the basic course "Hang the gold medal and be a pacesetter" for recruits, Private Wu Mingqiang simultaneously won three gold medals in shooting, grenade throwing, and 3,000-meter running. Previously, in order to achieve good results in training basics, he borrowed sandbags to strap to his body to carry weight, and trained repeatedly until his elbows were worn out, throwing grenades over and over again.
According to statistics, in recent years, the average pass rate of recruits in the Hong Kong garrison has exceeded 98%, and the average excellent rate has exceeded 85%.
Over the past 20 years, the garrison has given full play to the joint advantages of the three militaries and given prominence to joint real-force exercises.
The "Xiangjiang Defender-2016" joint real-force exercise held last year highlighted the joint system and elite combat. The Red Army not only had to complete the competition for important hills, but also had to deal with "enemy situation" threats from air, sea and other directions. The Blue Army’s defense expanded from a front-line to a multi-point one, with a wider defense surface, more directions, and more difficult control and defense.
At Stonecutters Island Naval Base, in the face of long-range fire from the sea, the ships sailed towards the target sea area, the armed helicopters circled in the air like a shadow, and the fully armed special forces combined their tasks from the air and water to approach the front line of the battle…
Nowadays, when entering the camps of the Hong Kong garrison, joint exercises and joint training have become the norm.
"In order for the garrison to become an important force in maintaining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, the key is to adhere to the only fundamental standard of combat effectiveness. With normalized combat readiness as the traction, actual combat training as the breakthrough point, and informatization transformation as the promotion, improve the hard power of the army, and forge elite divisions that can win battles," said Tan Benhong, commander of the Hong Kong garrison.
20 years, the rules are not loose
When the reporter interviewed a teaching group of the Hong Kong garrison, a garrison law knowledge competition was being held in the boot camp.
For soldiers who are about to rotate into Hong Kong, they must take the Basic Law, Garrison Law, and Hong Kong laws and regulations exams before setting foot on Hong Kong land. Only with excellent results in the assessment can they obtain the qualification certificate for entering Hong Kong.
In the highly legalized Hong Kong society, there are nearly 100 laws that directly regulate the behavior of the garrison – aircraft training and ships going to sea must be notified to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, and live ammunition must be published in the Gazette in advance…
Over the past 20 years, all the officers and soldiers stationed in Hong Kong have developed a high degree of consciousness of acting according to the law, finding the law in case of trouble, using the law to solve problems, and relying on the law to resolve contradictions.
The annual rotation of the army is organized, and the garrison is published in the Gazette of the Special Administrative Region Government in advance according to law, choosing to conduct it in the early morning when the citizens are asleep; when entering and leaving the border, the garrison personnel strictly follow the entry and exit formalities and procedures, and set up security checkpoints inside and outside the port. All customs personnel, vehicles and carrying items are strictly inspected, from generals to soldiers without exception.
One day in May this year, Li Yadi, the company commander of a certain brigade, led two soldiers to the shooting range to fly a red flag – starting at 8 am, they were going to organize shooting training, and the training plan was announced to the Hong Kong people as early as a week ago.
Instructor Zhou Lei said that every time we organize training, it is stipulated in Hong Kong’s "Defense (Shooting Practice Area) Ordinance" that "red flags must be hung during the day and must be hung one hour before shooting; red lights must be hung at night and must be hung two hours before sunset; shooting training must be reported seven days in advance".
Over the past 20 years, the Hong Kong Garrison has organized more than 200,000 vehicles and more than 800,000 people to enter and exit Hong Kong, and more than 50,000 people to go out for tours. They all strictly abide by various rules and regulations.
20 years, the feelings remain unchanged
Love for the motherland, love for Hong Kong, and love for the garrison has always been the strongest voice of the officers and soldiers stationed in Hong Kong.
Over the past 20 years, the officers and soldiers of the garrison have regarded their base as their hometown and Hong Kong compatriots as their relatives, winning widespread praise from all walks of life in Hong Kong.
In July 2012, Chen Yufei, the platoon leader of a special combat company in a brigade, was transferred to the Hong Kong Youth Military Summer Camp as a coach. During the 15-kilometer field training course, the wind rose sharply, the rainstorm suddenly fell, and the students were soaked. Middle school student Xiao Xu felt exhausted and weak, and his stride was getting smaller and smaller.
"Hold on, I’ll help you!" Chen Yufei took his gear and used his shoulders to lift Xiao Xu forward.
When Xiao Xu and the other students arrived at the finish line, Chen Yufei’s feet were covered with blisters. Seeing him walking around, Xiao Xu was moved and cried, "Instructor Chen, thank you! The People’s Liberation Army is so nice!"
In August 2016, the garrison organized officers and soldiers to donate blood voluntarily for Hong Kong compatriots, and the number of applicants exceeded twice the number of blood donation quotas. The officers and soldiers competed to go, and no one wanted to be left behind.
"The blood of the Chinese nation is connected, and the blood between compatriots is thicker than water. It is our duty to offer love to our compatriots in Hong Kong." Zhou Jun, an instructor at the Central Locomotive Station, said that every time he donates blood, he has to convince officers and soldiers, because the indicators are limited, to donate next time.
According to the Hong Kong blood donation staff, in the past 20 years, more than 7,600 people have participated in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region blood donation activities, and the accumulated blood donation 3.38 million ml.
"The blood flowing in my heart is surging with the voice of China."
Over the past 20 years, the garrison has also enthusiastically participated in Hong Kong’s social welfare undertakings. Every year, it participates in Hong Kong’s "Tree Planting Day" activities, planting more than 92,000 trees; every year, it organizes activities to comfort the elderly and love the children, giving gifts, performances and blessings to more than 4,300 elderly and young children.
Over the past 20 years, the theme cultural evenings such as "My Heart of China", "Chinese Dream" and "Full of Love in Xiangjiang" created by the Hong Kong Garrison have always won the warmest applause; officers and soldiers have participated in various literary and artistic performances in Hong Kong, flag-raising ceremonies, the opening ceremony of the sports meeting and other activities, and have always been widely praised by all walks of life in Hong Kong.