The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) joined relief efforts in Macau on Friday following the devastation of Typhoon Hato – the first time ever it has taken action on the ground in either of China’s Special Administrative Regions of Macau and Hong Kong.
The stunning sight of hundreds of uniformed soldiers from the PLA Macao Garrison embarking on a massive clean-up effort alongside local volunteers was warmly welcomed by the city, which followed an SOS from Macau Chief Executive Chui Sai On to China’s Central Government last Thursday.
In a statement, the Macau SAR Government said that the unprecedented action was in line with basic law which states that it may, if necessary, ask the Central Government for assistance from the PLA Macao Garrison “for the maintenance of social order and relief of natural disasters.”
The Commissioner-General of the Unitary Police Service and commander of the city’s coordinated relief effort, Ma Io Kun, and the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the PLA Macao Garrison, Gao Zhijun, directed relief work at Rua Cinco de Outubro from Friday, which was one of the areas most severely affected by Typhoon Hato.
The PLA provided assistance throughout the weekend with Mr Gao pledging to deploy more troops if necessary.
In a statement, the Macau SAR Government said it was “thankful to the support from the People’s Liberation Army Macao Garrison in relieving Typhoon Hato’s aftermath.”
“After Typhoon Hato, the strongest recorded storm in Macau for 53 years, the city has experienced heavily damage with deteriorating environmental hygiene,” it said.
“The government and the Macau public highly respect the practical assistance from the well-equipped and strictly disciplined PLA officers and soldiers, particularly their efforts in cleaning up flood wastes and obstacles from streets, under the bright sun.
“Following approval by the Central Government of the Macau Government’s request, some 1,000 troops from the PLA Macao Garrison, since 25 August, provided support to the city’s relief work to alleviate the impact after the typhoon.”
