The U.S. Department of Commerce released its first list of “military end-users” on Monday (21), and the Hong Kong Government Flying Service was included in the list.
The United States continues to target China and Hong Kong sanctions, the U.S. Department of Commerce on Monday (21) announced the first list of “military end-users”, including 58 Chinese companies, including the Hong Kong Government’s flight service team. Some voices in Hong Kong believe that it is either in response to the Hong Kong government’s flight service allegedly involved in the action of sending 12 Hong Kong people to China, and may indicate that the foreign sanctions against Hong Kong will be further expanded.
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Monday (21) that the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to add a new list of “military end-users,” the first involving 103 Russian and Chinese companies, respectively, 45 Russian companies and 58 Chinese companies, including seven entities under the China Aviation Industry Corporation and eight entities under the China Aero Engine Group, including the Hong Kong Government Flying Service.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Ross said the companies on the list have been confirmed to have ties with the Chinese and Russian military and will restrict their purchases of goods and technology from U.S. companies, adding that the sanctions can help exporters screen customers. U.S. companies need a license to export or transfer specified items to companies on the list.
The U.S. Department of Commerce expanded the definition of “military end-user” in April to include any individual or entity that supports or assists in the maintenance or production of military items, from the armed forces and police. The export restrictions apply to a wide range of areas, including computer software such as paperwork, scientific equipment and aircraft parts.
Hong Kong government flight service team on the list or affect the replacement of parts
It is worth noting that this list rarely includes the Hong Kong Government Flying Service.
We checked the information, the Hong Kong Government Flying Service fleet are H175 Cheetah helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft “Challenger 605”, dual-piston engine aircraft, medium utility transport helicopters (EC155), mainly by European, Canadian and Australian companies production.
The former civil aviation pilot of Hong Kong’s democratic camp of former Legislative Council Member Tam Man Ho said in an interview with this station, because an aircraft assembly parts are numerous, do not exclude some from the United States, some parts may not be able to have a substitute, the aircraft if not able to timely repair and maintenance, may be grounded.
Tam said: “Some parts may not have alternatives, not just put a part on it, but also need to go through the requirements of flight safety or the aircraft manufacturer’s factory requirements. This is also a long procedure, and not simple. The Hong Kong government flight service team also needs to be based on the Civil Aviation Department’s flight requirements, if there are no certain parts, can not fly is not to fly.”
Tam also said that the Hong Kong Government Flying Service was blacklisted, will certainly hit its image in Hong Kong and international.
Hong Kong Government Flying Service allegedly involved in “set up to send China”
The Hong Kong Government Flying Service has recently received the most attention than the alleged involvement of 12 Hong Kong people in the “sending to China” operation. In August this year, 12 Hong Kong people left Hong Kong waters in a speedboat and were arrested by the Chinese Marine Police on suspicion of border crossing, with Hong Kong Police Commissioner Tang Ping-keung claiming that he was unaware of the incident.
However, subsequent reports and evidence show that the Hong Kong Government Flying Service, a number of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, hovering over the relevant waters at the time of the incident, or the whole process of monitoring the 12 Hong Kong people “sent to China”, and there are internal documents show that the flight procedures for the day recorded as “police action”, so that the Hong Kong Government Flying Service is suspected of participating in the authorities’ “set up to send China” plan, but the Hong Kong Government denies that the incident is still unresolved.
The government’s flight service team was sanctioned for its involvement in the case of the 12 Hong Kong people, according to Tam.
Tam said: “The Flying Service has always denied that it has participated in the operation, but in fact the Flying Service has sent a plane and helicopter, in the 12 Hong Kong people smuggled the same route appeared. When the Commissioner of Police is inconsistent and the Hong Kong government refuses to give an account, it will cause Hong Kong people’s confidence in the Flying Service to be greatly diminished.”
Foreign sanctions against Hong Kong may be expanded from the police force to other departments
Exiled overseas spokesman for the former Hong Kong College and University International Affairs Mission Zhang Kunyang also believes that the U.S. is a move in response to the 12 Hong Kong people incident, and even the Hong Kong regime’s crackdown on demonstrations.
He said that even though the United States is not the main source of supply of aircraft for the Government Flying Service fleet, but with the United States taking the lead in setting up a blacklist, its allies may also follow, when Canada, Europe and other countries, may not sell aircraft to the Hong Kong Government Flying Service. The target of foreign sanctions may no longer be limited to the Hong Kong Police Force, but may include other Hong Kong government departments.
The Hong Kong Government Flying Service, formerly known as the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, uses its aircraft for search and rescue, firefighting, air ambulance services and law enforcement operations. In a survey conducted by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, the rating of the Flying Service has dropped the most significantly since the survey was conducted in 2012, following the revelation of its alleged involvement in 12 Hong Kong people’s “sending China” operations.
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