As Hong Kong has no military of its own, the local authorities may request China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) garrison for aid in preserving public order, bringing the city under Beijing's tight control, reported Singapore Post.
In a recent key development, according to China's military, the PLA garrison in Hong Kong will be led by the former chief of internal security in the Xinjiang province Major General Peng Jingtang's.
Xinjiang is the region where China has incarcerated hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in political re-education centers.
According to a government press release, Peng met Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who told him that her government would work with the garrison to "jointly safeguard the nation's sovereignty, security, and development interests and help maintain the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong", reported The Singapore Post.
Notably, Protesters and dissidents in Hong Kong are being labelled "terrorists", according to critics and this appointment of Peng may imply a tougher stance on alleged terrorist activities in Hong Kong.
Not only this but even the candidates who were not loyal to Beijing were forbidden from standing in the local Legislative Council elections.
After anti-government protests in 2019, China enacted a National Security Law on Hong Kong resulting in the arrest, intimidation, and exile of most opposition figures, reported Singapore post.
Many media organizations were also being raided by the authorities following employee detention and asset seizures.
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