Exclusive | Hong Kong disciplined services to ditch British marching in favour of Chinese ‘goose-step’ at National Security Education Day events
- Police and firefighters among those to adopt new style for open days on April 15
- Top officer says keeping British drills when promoting national security ‘does not seem right’
Five Hong Kong disciplined services, including police and customs officers, will perform Chinese-style marching for members of the public for the first time on National Security Education Day next month, the Post has learned.
The public performance comes just two months after the People’s Liberation Army trained police officers at the Hong Kong Police College’s parade ground in Wong Chuk Hang in the Chinese military’s “goose-stepping” style of ceremonial marching. Other selected disciplined services officers also joined.
April 15 this year marks the sixth National Security Education Day to promote public awareness of national security. The Hong Kong government marked the day last year with a series of online activities, such as broadcasting video-recorded speeches by central government officials, including Luo Huining, director of Beijing’s liaison office in the city.
“Performing British foot drills when promoting the importance of national security does not seem right. After all, we have been handed over for nearly 24 years,” one top officer said, referring to the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
“The public performance on National Security Education Day this year is a good start to show the unity of the disciplinary forces, as some already plan to infuse the Chinese style into routine training.”
