A massive contingent of Chinese paramilitary were still in position at a stadium on Saturday in Shenzhen, near the border with Hong Kong which is expecting more mass demonstrations over the weekend.
Armoured vehicles, trucks and large numbers of service personnel from China’s paramilitary, known as the People’s Armed Police, have been stationed at the Shenzhen stadium where some have been seen taking part in training drills both inside and beside the stadium this week.
From the stadium, over a body of water, you can see the northwest coast of Hong Kong and further west, the recently opened bridge that connects Hong Kong to Zhuhai.
These exercises from the paramilitary have accentuated a concern that China is considering direct intervention in Hong Kong.
In recent days, Chinese state media has been full of thinly veiled threats that China would not sit by and watch if the “violence” and “near-terrorism” continued.
The unrest in Hong Kong, which began as a protest against an extradition bill has now morphed into one of the biggest crises Chinese President Xi Jinping has faced since he took power in 2012.
