The Garrison

The Basic Law provides that the CPG shall be responsible for the defence
of the HKSAR and shall bear the expenditure for the garrison. Military
forces stationed in the HKSAR shall not interfere in the local affairs of the
Region and the HKSAR Government shall be responsible for the
maintenance of public order in the Region. The People's Liberation Army
(PLA) Forces Hong Kong (Hong Kong Garrison) formally stationed in the
HKSAR assumed defence responsibility for Hong Kong with effect from
zero hour on July 1, 1997.

The PLA Forces Hong Kong comprise army, navy and air force units so
as to reflect the PRC's sovereignty over HKSAR's territorial land, waters
and airspace, and it is subject to the direction of the Central Military
Commission. The Hong Kong Garrison is deployed at 14 military sites in
the HKSAR with some of the army, navy and air force units stationed in
the mainland of China.

The 'Law of the People's Republic of China on the Garrisoning of the
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region' (the Garrison Law), which
was added to Annex III of the Basic Law, ensures the lawful
performance of functions and responsibilities by the PLA Forces Hong
Kong to maintain the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the State
and the security of Hong Kong.

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