China rotates new troops into Hong Kong amid mass protests

In this photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, armored personnel carriers of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) pass through the Huanggang Port border between China and Hong Kong, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. Chinese state media has published photos of the country’s Hong Kong-based troops’ armored carriers and a patrol boat undertaking what they call a routine rotation. (Yuan Junmin/Xinhua via AP)

HONG KONG — Chinese state media released footage Thursday of military troops moving into Hong Kong for what they call a routine rotation amid fears that the army will intervene in ongoing pro-democracy protests.

Armored carriers, trucks, and a patrol boat were shown crossing the border from neighboring Shenzhen city into Hong Kong for the 22nd rotation of the People’s Liberation Army’s Hong Kong garrison, Xinhua state news agency reported.

Nearly three months of fiery anti-government demonstrations in Hong Kong have sparked concerns that the military will be deployed in the semi-autonomous Chinese city. The Hong Kong garrison previously published a promotional video with scenes of soldiers facing off with people dressed like protesters.

The soldiers in the new rotation were educated about Hong Kong’s laws and vowed to defend the nation’s sovereignty, Xinhua said. Troops stationed in Macao, another special administrative region, also completed a rotation Thursday. /kga