Message heard loud and clear in PLA-style goose-step drills

Five academies demonstrated People's Liberation Army-style goose-stepping drills instead of British ones to mark the city's first National Security Education Day.

The drills included, for the first time, marchers swinging their legs in unison off the ground while keeping each leg rigidly straight.

At the Hong Kong Police College in Wong Chuk Hang, flag bearers showcased the foot drills in the flag-raising ceremony as heavyweights such as Commissioner of Police Chris Tang Ping-keung watched.

The police band played songs including Ode to the Motherland, March of Solidarity and Friendship, displaying the force's nationalistic sentiments, as well as its latest song, Safeguarding Hong Kong.

The marching squad, comprising 24 members from the police college, police tactical unit, police band and auxiliary police force also performed bearing flags, marching without commands, Chinese-style marching and drawing guns.

The squad was seen incorporating Chinese-style elements, such as holding the commander' knife and bearing flags on the shoulder, into its acts.

Throughout Chinese-style marching, the leader of the squad gave orders in Cantonese instead of English, including those for "turn right," "step forward" and "stand at ease."

The squad chanted slogans in Cantonese such as "uphold national security with loyalty, protect the city with bravery" during the final march.

The police college ended its opening day with counter-terrorism exercises performed by officers from police special duties unit, counter-terrorism response unit and emergency unit - simulating an attack on citizens - during which sniffer dogs and helicopters were deployed.

Tang, along with deputy police commissioner (national security) Edwina Lau Chi-wai, police director of management services Rebecca Lam Hiu-tong and former secretary for commerce and economic development Frederick Ma Si-Hang, also visited the exhibition area.

"The police force has been absorbing various knowledge and learning how to march in different places," Tang said.

The Correctional Services Department Staff Training Institute was another academy that performed similar PLA-style drills. Deputy commissioner of correctional services Wong Kwok-hing said he hopes the academy's open day could help people understand the role of the department when engaging in national security.

erin.chan@singtaonewscorp.com