China appoints former paramilitary leader HK garrison commander Military news

Peng Jingtang will take up his post in Hong Kong after serving as Deputy Chief of Staff of the People’s Armed Police.

China has appointed a former paramilitary leader Peng Jingtang as the new commander of the Hong Kong garrison of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), CCTV state catalogs on Sunday night, citing a PLA spokesman.

Peng, a senior general, was the deputy head of state for the Chinese paramilitary police, the People’s Armed Police. His appointment was signed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, CCTV said.

CCTV also mentioned that Peng mentioned in his new appointment that he would work with all members of the garrison to carry out the order of the ruling Communist Party and Shi and firmly defend national sovereignty and security interests.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997, promising that Beijing would respect the rights and freedoms of the territory – and unknown to the continent – for at least 50 years.

Critics say China has failed to live up to its promise, noting that its freedoms have been eroded, especially since the introduction of the National Security Act in June 2020, which turned violent after years of pro-democracy protests last year.

Dozens of elected politicians and activists have been arrested since the law came into force, while others have fled into exile. Beijing has also moved forward with a review of Hong Kong’s electoral system, in a move that said it was necessary to ensure that only “patriots” could hold office.