Troops care for people, animals and environment
By Chen Dongliang (China Daily)

While looking after people might be its primary concern, the PLA in Hong Kong is also involved in caring for the region's wildlife and environment.

"The number of sea eagles in the area around our barracks has increased significantly since we moved in," Lu Gang, a navy captain stationed in Kowloon, said with pride.

"And it's not just us saying so; the agriculture, fisheries and conservation department of the local government made the point in its annual report," he said.

Lu said on one occasion, an eagle dropped the fish it was carrying onto the football pitch. Rather than fly away empty-beaked, the bird landed, studied the soldiers fearlessly, then strolled toward its catch, picked it up and flew away.

"And it's not only the eagles. The monkeys are not afraid of people in the barracks either, although they would never attack anyone," Lu said.

The Environmental Protection Law of Hong Kong is one of dozens of laws all soldiers and officers have to memorize before they are sent to the special administrative region, Zhang Rucheng, political commissar of the PLA in Hong Kong, said.

As for caring for the environment, Lu said that whenever the navy sets sail, it stores all of its waste products rather than releasing them into the sea.

It also avoids sailing through the Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau marine parks so as not to disturb the fish there.

(China Daily 06/26/2007 page4)