Daily Mail: Chinese soldiers are seen on streets of Hong Kong for the first time: People's Liberation Army helps 'clean up' after thousands launch latest furious protests that saw barricades erected by students
* Troops on the streets may enrage protesters and stoke more controversy over Chinese-ruled territory's status
* Clashes with police increasingly violent, and China has warned any attempt at independence will be crushed
* By late afternoon, the soldiers had left the streets outside Baptist University, which neighbours their barracks
* Up to 12,000 troops believed to be based across Hong Kong - more than double the usual garrison number
China's People's Liberation Army soldiers in shorts and t-shirts made a surprising appearance on the streets of Hong Kong on Saturday, helping residents clean up debris and barricades after anti-government protests blocked roads.
The presence of PLA troops on the streets, even to help clean up roads near their base, could enrage protesters and stoke further controversy over the Chinese-ruled territory's autonomous status.
Up to 12,000 soldiers are now believed to be based across Hong Kong - more than double the usual garrison number, foreign envoys and security analysts estimate.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: The official excuse is that they are on the streets to clean the debris from past demonstrations .... China's PLA soldiers seen helping clean up streets after Hong Kong protests: RTHK (Reuters). The real purpose is to send a message to the protesters that Chinese troops are nearby.
More News On Chinese Soldiers On The Streets Of Hong Kong
PLA soldiers sent onto streets of Hong Kong for first time since protests began – to help clear roadblocks near Kowloon Tong garrison -- SCMP
Chinese troops join Hong Kong cleanup as protesters retreat -- AP
Personnel emerge from PLA barracks in Hong Kong to help clean-up -- AFP
Mainland Chinese Soldiers Take to Hong Kong Streets for First Time During Protests -- The Wall Street Journal
PLA Soldiers Join in Cleanup of City Streets: Hong Kong Update -- Bloomberg
Chinese army help clear protest debris at Hong Kong Baptist University -- Hong Kong
4 comments:
Yes that likely was the message. The counter reaction will be interesting. It does look as if there is going to be a serious protester vs military showdown and if so it will be messy. Obviously the earlier message, the build military build up was ignored so this is a logic next step. You would think that by now they would have identified the key leaders and arrested them but maybe not. It will be sad to see Hong Kong follow Beirut in losing its significant and positive position in the world.
Of course such messages are not uncommon during periods of stress. The images of the children in cages separated from their parents and the squalor conditions the parents were being held in "way back when" illegal immigrants were invading the US too gave a message from DJT as in 'this could happen to you'.
A message and a testing the waters in both cases.
Don't get ahead of yourselves. This message was subdued and tempered by the fact that these 'Chinese troops' were not wearing military fatigues which to me was the most interesting thing about the video.
It tells me that they were sent in with sensitivities in mind; not so much that they cared, but they did not want to add further fuel to the fire.
Sure; they got their message across, but did it in a way that we normally don't see the Chinese military; not displaying them in their uniforms is going to be taken as a sensitive weakness by some.
Set aside the question of Hong Kong and the protests for a minute.
This is a watershed event for the PLA and China. It goes well toward putting them on a par with the American military.
There may have been other civic actions by the PLA, but this one I think has enough visibility to change things.
I also agree with what 11:48 said.
This is not a message at all: this is the first step. Honk Kong problem has to be fixed at the end of the year, or may be at the beginning of 2020.
2020 will be the phase #2 without HK on mind.
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