The Hong Kong Police Force, in collaboration with various government departments and other relevant organisations, conducted a large-scale inter-departmental counter-terrorism, major incident and protective security exercise at Hong Kong International Airport and Tung Chung overnight.

The exercise, which began last night and concluded in the early hours of this morning, was staged in preparation for major international conference due to be held in Hong Kong later this year.

It simulated a scenario prior to an international conference, as delegations from around the world arrived in Hong Kong. Armed terrorists attacked members of the public and placed suspicious objects inside a passenger terminal at the airport. Concurrently, a series of knife attacks against pedestrians and a large-scale power outage occurred at a large shopping mall in nearby Tung Chung.

Various departments and organisations swiftly activated their emergency response mechanisms to address the incidents.

The exercise tested the co-ordination of relevant stakeholders across critical areas. This involved immediate tactical interventions, triage and emergency medical treatment of casualties, handling of suspicious objects, response to power failures, and management of affected people. 

By testing contingency protocols, the exercise enhanced inter-departmental counter-terrorism readiness and incident response capabilities.

It mobilised over 1,400 personnel from departments and organisations including the Police Force, the Fire Services Department, the Hospital Authority, the Customs & Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Civil Aviation Department, the Airport Authority Hong Kong, and the Aviation Security Company.

Commissioner of Police Chow Yat-ming observed the exercise on site, and commended the professionalism and collaboration of all participating units.

Hong Kong will host three major international conferences later this year, namely the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Finance Ministers’ Meeting, the 94th INTERPOL General Assembly, and the XXVIII Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly.

The force said it will maintain close liaison with relevant government departments and stakeholders, robustly implement security measures, and continuously review incident contingency plans, making every effort to ensure comprehensive and meticulous preparations ahead of these important international conferences.