The garrison troops of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) stationed in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conducted its fourth annual troop rotation Sunday since it assumed Hong Kong's defense responsibility on July 1, 1997.

The rotation started at midnight, when dozens of military vehicles of the ground troops rolled across the Lok Ma Chau checkpoint into Hong Kong under the escort of the Hong Kong police.

Six military helicopters landed at the Skek Kong Barracks in the morning.

The last part of the rotation was carried out at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. The naval rotation involved a missile escort vessel, a landing ship and a patrol boat. The rotation was completed by 2:00 pm after the rotated staff left Hong Kong for bases at Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

The size of the forces remained unchanged in both personnel and weaponry after the rotation, according to Colonel Feng Wei, spokesman for the PLA garrison troops in Hong Kong.

The successors of the rotated staff will continue to abide by laws and make contributions to safeguarding the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, the spokesman said.

The rotation is conducive to the improvement of the image and quality of the garrison troops, according to Xiong Ziren, commander of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison, and Wang Yufa, political commissar of the forces at a welcome and farewell ceremony.

The rotation was carried out on the orders of the Central Military Commission and in accordance with the Garrison Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region which stipulates a personnel rotation system for garrison troops.

(Xinhua News Agency November 25,2001)