US says China might have sent armed police to Hong Kong

The United States Department of Defense released the "2020 China Military Power Report" yesterday, suggesting that China may have deployed armed police in Hong Kong to respond to protests.

The report says during the rotation of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison in August last year, probable People’s Armed Police forces were deployed into Hong Kong.

Also, their troop rotation announcement last year did not include a statement that PLA troop and equipment levels remain unchanged like usual.

“Throughout the months of protests, the People's Liberation Army have been publicly highlighting their anti-riot, counterterrorism, and disaster prevention training,” the report added.

The report also suggested that the Chinese Government uses “5 cent army” to spread Party-approved narratives abroad via social media, promoting positive narratives of them and supporting Beijing’s programs.