He said expat officers remaining after the handover were useful because “continuity and confidence was maintained”. But he added that Hong Kong’s police force has since changed considerably, especially as Beijing asserts more authority over the city’s leaders. “As the years have gone by, and China’s rise has been much more pronounced, the Hong Kong government became politicised in the years following the handover,” he said. The outed expat offices are now increasingly portrayed as foot soldiers for an authoritarian China that wants to clamp down on Hong Kong’s unique freedoms. Clashes at latest Hong Kong anti-extradition marchThe senior officers said many had sympathies with those protesting peacefully, adding that police helped facilitate multiple mass rallies and had no say over policy.

Source: The Express Tribune July 17, 2019 07:07 UTC