The Legislative Council allocated 144 million yuan in 2016 for the purchase of mobile response and command platforms and auxiliary ships for the Marine Police Region, but the bidding failed twice in 2018.
The Security Bureau pointed out that due to factors such as the sharp increase in the cost of aluminum materials, the estimated cost of the procurement project increased, and it applied to the Legislative Council for an appropriation of 44 million yuan, and the latest commitment increased to 188 million yuan.
The Security Affairs Committee of the Legislative Council approved today (7th) that the expenditure for this project should be included in the Appropriation Bill 2023 for approval.
At the meeting, many councilors were concerned that buying ships from Western manufacturers would constitute a national security issue. For example, Chen Yingxin from the Federation of Trade Unions was worried that foreign components would be "opened the back door", and asked whether the authorities would give priority to buying ships from the Mainland to increase the proportion of localization.
Huang Yinghao from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong criticized the Marine Department for doing things in the past "seeking the best", and believed that it should take the initiative to contact the mainland shipyards. "Dalian, Guangzhou, and Jiangnan shipyards are not only for ordinary coast guard ships, but also for large destroyers and aircraft carriers."
After the police conducted a review in 2012, they launched the "Fleet Replacement Program".
(File photo/Photo by Feng Guoliang)
Chen Yingxin is worried about foreign manufacturers "opening the back door"
Chen Yingxin pointed out that Western hostile forces are doing everything they can to undermine the governance and prosperity of Hong Kong. Foreign manufacturers will have the opportunity to refuse to provide maintenance in the future, making the police useless. She also pointed out that police operations are confidential, and foreign components cannot be ruled out. "Open the back door".
The Secretary for Security, Tang Bingqiang, said that last year, government procurement has added national security regulations, and the procurement of large-scale emergency platforms will inevitably consider issues related to national security. For example, manufacturers need to provide equipment and maintenance parts to the government without being affected by foreign sanctions.
Election circle Zhou Wengang said that it is rare for the purchase of two ships to take 6 to 7 years. He also said that the shipyards in the mainland and South Korea are world-class, and the orders received account for 90% of the world. He asked whether the procurement list of the Marine Department included the mainland and South Korea. Manufacturers are the main ones, and the procurement list from the British Hong Kong period is still used.
Chen Wanwen, deputy director of the Marine Department, said that the procurement of ships by the department is a global bidding, there is no list restriction, and global shipyards will also receive bidding invitations.
Ge Peifan advocates reviewing global bidding
Huang Yinghao said that China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation is the largest shipbuilding group in the world. The Dalian, Guangzhou and Jiangnan shipyards have also made large destroyers and aircraft carriers. The Marine Department should take the initiative to contact them. The bids are announced on the website.” Ge Peifan of the DAB believes that the government should examine whether global bidding is the best way, saying that if the mainland can provide ships of the same quality, it will be safer and more reliable than other local manufacturers, and it will avoid failure to purchase parts in the future.
Deng Bingqiang said that global procurement is an established policy, and in the face of national security, the mainland is of course a reliable place, and it will not be affected by foreign sanctions at any time.
Marine Police and Customs intercepted a cargo ship and pulled two men to seize 23 tons of smuggled frozen meat worth about $2.8 million. Marine Police and Customs Operation Saigon seized 2.5 million smuggled dried shark fins, dried fish maws and old smartphones
