Military Port to be built in Hong Kong

[Prawn2king4]

Victoria Harbour is the venue and the PLA the customer.

To be used for “training”. An inevitable progression perhaps; from white ensign to the red flag.

[mr fish]

the surprise is its still called 'victoria'!!!

[Buster Hyman]

Victoria over Imperialist dogs Harbour.

[Dan Winterland]

It's a bit of a storm in a tea cup. The story is that reclamation work is making a new waterfront on Hong Kong Island and a length of it has been reserved for the PLA Navy next to their base on the Island to moor ships when they require. It's not really a new base and it's of no strategic value considering the size of their far bigger and largely underused port 3 miles across the water at Stonecutter's Island. It's more for showing off their hardware to the interested inhabitants of Hong Kong. It's got the ire of some of the anti-Beijing camp and some of those who don't want a military vessel moored off the recreational waterfront.

As for the progression from white ensign to ref flag, the PLA Navy base is still known as "Tamar" (was HMS Tamar in RN hands) and one of the buidlings still displays the name "Amethyst" - an accomodation block named after HMS Amethyst, the boat shelled by the PLA in the Yangste incident!

[Heathrow Harry]

"An inevitable progression perhaps; from white ensign to the red flag"

actually that happened in 1997

I heard from a mate who was there that the PLA's only prioity was to take over the Admiralty Building on the island and raise their flag there - far more symbolic than having it flying over (in order of importance):-

a) The HK & Shanghai Bank

b) the Jockey Club

c) The Peninsula Hotel

c) The airport

....zz) the Governors place

The PLA Navy also very thoughtfully ordered 3 or 4 patrol boats which are normally parked in the harbour doing sod all and sent the bill to HK to pay