AS the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland is approaching, officers at the Hong Kong Police College in Wong Chuk Hang are practicing foot drills in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) style. They believe their smooth movements in a decisive manner fully underscore the spirit of the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) in the new era.

Starting July 1, the HKPF will officially abandon British-style foot drills and perform Chinese-style foot drills of the PLA. In the eyes of the HKPF officers, fully adopting the PLA-style foot drills is a removal of colonial characteristics, which has symbolic meaning for the country and for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

“Every one of us feels proud of adopting the PLA-style foot drills,” said a student who guards the national flag. The Chinese-style foot drills represent a sense of belonging and national feelings for the motherland, he said.

“I know working as police officer is hard and challenging, but I think I’m capable and have ambition to contribute to society,” the student said.

A person familiar with Chinese-style foot drills said the precise and powerful marksmanship reflects the spirit of the HKPF in the new era.

In daily trainings, every student starts with zero knowledge to grasp different movements and the essentials of the Chinese-style foot drills.

In February 2021, more than 20 years after Hong Kong returned to the motherland, the Hong Kong Police College held training in Chinese-style foot drills, taught by members of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison for the first time, after the HKPF invited the PLA Hong Kong Garrison Honor Guard Battalion. Since then, the PLA Hong Kong Garrison has organized foot drill training sessions for nearly 1,000 personnel in five disciplinary units in Hong Kong, according to media reports.

On July 1, 2021, the HKSAR Government held a flag-raising ceremony in which the flag guard squad used the PLA-style foot drills for the first time. Starting from October 2021, all inspector and police officer cadets recruited by the HKPF have been trained in the PLA-style foot drills.

Early this year, the HKSAR Immigration Department, Customs and Excise Department, Fire Services Department, and Correctional Services Department started to use the PLA formation. The HKPF will also officially abandon the British foot drills July 1.

Hong Kong Junior Police Officers’ Association Chairman Lam Chi-wai said that the disciplined services adopting the Chinese-style foot drills indeed removed the colonial characteristics of the city, and it will help unify Hong Kong society and fully underscore that Hong Kong is an inseparable part of China.

“Such a move also demonstrates our police officers are patriots and will enhance the public awareness of their identity as Chinese nationals and cultivate the sentiment of loving the country, loving Hong Kong,” Lam said. (Global Times)