6.
At 1115 hrs. on 19 October PL 1 was on patrol
south-east of Sha Chau. A Hong Kong fishing vessel
No. M60902P came alongside. It was observed that 2
officers of the Gong Bian were on board wearing green uniforms and one of them armed with a long barrelled
weapon.
The officer commanding PL 1 informed the Chinese
officers that they were inside Hong Kong waters and
that they should leave. Shortly afterwards an
unnumbered motorised sampan with 2 more Chinese
officers came alongside the fishing veseel and took
off the first 2 officers. They claim they were
carrying out anti-smuggling duties.
A thorough search of the fishing vessel was carried
out but yielded no results. Although the master did
not make a formal complaint, he said that his vessel
had been boarded well within Hong Kong waters near Sha
Chau and that he had gone alongside PL 1 in order to
get the Gong Bian officers off his vessel.
The first two of these incidents are particularly worrying since they seem to indicate that Gong Bian officers
may be involved in smuggling activities. In one case they were
prepared to point their weapons at RHKP officer's well inside
Hong Kong waters in furtherance of their objectives. The third
incident involving the "Tai Fei" speedboat was also extremely suspect. Either the vessel was itself involved in a smuggling
operation, or it was attempting to exercise jurisdiction right
up to the Hong Kong coastline.
We have on many occasions protested about attempts to
exercise jurisdiction in Hong Kong waters. We have been
assured by the Guangdong authorities that this is not official
policy. Over recent months there has been a welcome respite.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.