Chinese Occupying Troops' Hideout under Renovation

Zeng Xiaoyang, correspondent of Chinese News Net
Qi Jianguo, commentator of Hong Konger Front
28 September 2005

For a while, refurbishment has been carried out to both the Government House and the Chinese occupying troops' token hideout - the headquarters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison (formerly the headquarters of the British garrison in Hong Kong until the territory's handover to China on 1 July 1997). Sources say that the refurbishment is intended to remove all wiretaps and telecommunication network left behind by the British forces. However, a spokesman of the Chinese occupying troops describes the refurbishment as "regular maintenance" of the headquarters.

The funnel-shaped "headquarters" of Chinese occupying troops. In May 2000, the puppet HKSAR regime's Legislative Council amended an old law to rename the Prince of Wales Building (which housed the headquarters of British Hong Kong Garrison before 1 July 1997) as Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison Building.

As of 1 July 1997 the day China engulfed Hong Kong and the Chinese troops began to occupy Hong Kong, the Beijing regime repeatedly announces that the funnel-shaped, security-oriented military structure left behind by the British forces is her Hong Kong Garrison's headquarters. But, the declaration is simply not true, as it is an open secret that Chinese police and security personnel always have secret hideouts other than their nominal headquarters.

Before Hong Kong was engulfed by China on 1 July 1997, the funnel-shaped military structure was known as the Prince of Wales Building, and it constituted an important part of the former HMS Tamar naval base in Admiralty, Hong Kong, functioning as both the headquarters of the British Hong Kong Garrison and the Far East Headquarters of the British intelligence. Its funnel-shaped appearance was designed to tighten security control over the entry and the exit of the building.

Sources say that the Beijing regime initially planned to use the Prince of Wales Building as the headquarters of the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong. Unexpectedly, in 1997 China's advance troops arrived in Hong Kong, only to discover that the building is full of complex imbedded communication wiring. As a result, the Beijing regime hesitated to use the Prince of Wales Building as the Chinese occupying troops' chief hideout for fear of eavesdropping. Considering the impressive location and the trophy-like image of the Prince of Wales Building the Beijing regime eventually declared the building its Hong Kong Garrison's headquarters, though in the past seven years the building merely houses logistic units and has a ceremonial function.

The chief hideout of the Chinese occupying troops is actually the Stonecutters Island Navy Base. Long before 1997, a British Royal Navy base was previously established on the Stonecutters Island. After 1997, the Chinese naval presence in Hong Kong is limited to a small fleet of ships rotating from ships from bases in China, with the sole navy base located at the Stonecutters Island.


Stonecutters Island Navy Base, Chinese occupying troops' real chief hideout

At present, the former Prince of Wales Building does not serve any military purpose at all, but it houses luxurious dormitories and recreational facilities for the Chinese occupying troops. The Chinese occupying troops are deployed at 14 military sites in Hong Kong with some of the army, navy and air force units stationed in China.

According to Chinese military sources, the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong enjoy a salary more than nine to ten times higher than those in China. Lieutenant Liu Zhengwu the first chief commander of the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong had a salary of about 12000 H.K. dollars each month that is higher by 2500 H.K.dollars than the salary of the president Jiang Zeming. The military sources also confirmed that it is so because of the great difference in prices between Hong Kong and China. It said that the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong can use their higher salary to purchase personal necessities in Hong Kong, however, to maintain military discipline, they are not allowed to mail what they purchase to their home in China.

Despite a good salary, not all high-ranking officers of the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong joyfully returned to China when their "military service" in Hong Kong ends. A good example is Zhou Borong, a former deputy commander of the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong. Zhou, previously dubbed the "Tomorrow's Star of Generals", was demoted and dispatched to serve in the North Sea Fleet based in the northern China's naval port of Qingdao, after being rude to a Hong Kong customs officer at the border between Hong Kong and China and thereby arousing Hong Kongers' indignation.

The number of the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong is limited to one brigade for ground forces, one unit for navy forces, and one regiment for air forces. The incumbent commanders of the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong are as follows:

Lt. Gen. Wang Jitang - Commander of the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong
Maj. Gen. Liu Liangkai - Political commissar of the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong
Senior Col. Chen Xuekui - Commander of the Shenzhen Base of the Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong


Liu Zhengwu, the first chief commander of Chinese occupying troops in Hong Kong