Hong Kong police confident National Games will go off without a hitch

Hong Kong police say they are armed with enough personnel and resources, including 600 drones and 200 trained dogs, to ensure the coming National Games go off without a hitch.

And while there was no specific intelligence suggesting terrorists would target the city during the Games, contingency plans were in place to deal with emergent situations, the force told the media this week.

The National Games will run between November 9 and 21 across 11 cities in the Greater Bay Area.

“Police will flexibly deploy manpower according to individual venues and events, including pre-competition warm-ups and training when athletes and officials arrive in Hong Kong,” said Lok Wai-lurk, senior superintendent for the force’s national games (special duties) operations wing.

The Games will feature more than 400 events across 34 sports, with Hong Kong hosting eight – fencing, men’s under-22 basketball, track cycling, golf, men’s handball, rugby sevens, triathlon and beach volleyball.

The government expects about 100,000 visitors from mainland China and overseas to travel to the city for the multi-sport event.

Lok said Hong Kong’s terrorist threat level remained moderate and there was no intelligence suggesting the city would become a target.