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Modernization of China’s Police and Learning from Hong Kong

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The Politics of Policing in Greater China

Part of the book series: Politics and Development of Contemporary China ((PDCC))

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Abstract

This chapter argues that despite the different policing environment between mainland China and Hong Kong, the policy transfer in policing has occurred from Hong Kong to the mainland. Agents of this policy transfer are mainland police officers and researchers who study the Hong Kong experience and who apply the Hong Kong experience to the mainland setting. As a matter of fact, the mainland police have been learning from the Hong Kong experience mainly in the area of operation. In an attempt to enhance the manpower of the mainland police, private security companies have been legalized while residents’ anti-crime groups have been partially incorporated into the regular police force. The auxiliary police force has become an experiment in some mainland cities, whereas the practice of police handbooks is viewed as a model for the mainland police to emulate. Statistical research and data remain to be improved in the mainland police. A gradual process of Hongkongization of mainland policing has been taking place in China. On the other hand, the mainland police are simultaneously undergoing rapid reforms independent of the influence from Hong Kong. Because of the unique politico-legal environment in China, the mainland police have been implementing various reform measures, such as the persistence in the mass line concept, the adoption of the visitation scheme, the heightened sensitivity toward mass action in politically sensitive places, the heavy emphasis on community policing, the improvement in the quality and quantity of officers and the recognition of the need to reform the recruitment, performance appraisal and training of the police force continuously. The adaptive capacity of the mainland police has become a hallmark of how they have been responding to a challenging, complex, transformative and turbulent policing environment in China.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Ma Yue, “The Police Law 1995: organization, functions, powers and accountability of the Chinese police,” Policing, vol. 20, no. 1 (1997), pp.113–135; Kam Wong, “A Reflection on Police Abuse of Power in the People’s Republic of China,” Police Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 2 (1998), pp. 87–112; Chen Xiaoming, “Community and Policing Strategies: A Chinese Approach to Crime Control,” Policing and Society, vol. 12, no. 1 (2002), pp. 1–13; Ma, Yue, “The powers of the police and the rights of suspects under the amended Criminal Procedure Law of China,” Policing, vol. 26, no. 3 (2003), pp. 490–510; Zhang Lening and Liu Jianhong, “Official status and the swiftness of criminal arrest,” Policing, vol. 27, no. 1 (2004), pp. 83–96; Carlos Lo and Albert Cheuk, “Community Policing in Hong Kong: development, performance and constraints,” Policing, vol. 27, no. 1 (2004), pp. 97–127; Dai Mengyuan, “Policing in the People’s Republic of China: a review of the recent literature,” Crime, Law & Social Change, vol. 50 (2008), pp. 211–227.

  2. 2.

    Trevor Jones and Tim Newburn, Policy Transfer and Criminal Justice (Buckingham: Open University Press, 2006), pp. 34–39.

  3. 3.

    Ibid., p. 144.

  4. 4.

    Hong Kong Police Review 2002 (Hong Kong: Hong Kong Police Public Relations Branch, 2002), pp. 29–35.

  5. 5.

    Ibid., p. 29. Also see Hong Kong: Asia’s World City (Hong Kong: Hong Kong Government, January 2007).

  6. 6.

    Sing Tao Daily, December 31, 2008.

  7. 7.

    Brisbane Times, April 25, 2007.

  8. 8.

    China Daily, October 27, 2008.

  9. 9.

    Hong Kong TVB news, July 10, 2010.

  10. 10.

    Ibid.

  11. 11.

    Hong Kong Police Review 2002 (Hong Kong: Hong Kong Police Public Relations Branch, 2002), p. 51.

  12. 12.

    For the politics of the Occupy Central Movement, see Sonny Shiu-Hing Lo, Hong Kong’s Indigenous Democracy (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015).

  13. 13.

    Liu Boxiang, “The concept of law enforcement must be changed in order to carry out the ‘Three Represents’,” Policing Studies, vol. 107, no. 9 (2003), p. 6.

  14. 14.

    Lu Shaoli, “Promoting the police functions and constructing a harmonious society,” Policing Studies, vol. 132, no. 10 (2005), p. 36.

  15. 15.

    Liu, “The concept of law enforcement must be changed in order to carry out the ‘Three Represents’,” p. 8.

  16. 16.

    Ibid., p. 9.

  17. 17.

    Zhong Suyun and Zhang Chongchun, “How to deal with the inner relationship between leaders of public security agency,” Policing Studies, vol. 136, no. 2 (2006), p. 39.

  18. 18.

    Ibid., p. 41.

  19. 19.

    Wang Donghua, “Probe to law enforcement by public security organs in Heilongjiang province,” Policing Studies, vol. 106, no. 8 (2003), p. 35.

  20. 20.

    Ibid.

  21. 21.

    Liu, “The concept of law enforcement must be changed in order to carry out the ‘Three Represents’,” p. 7.

  22. 22.

    Wang, “Probe to law enforcement by public security organs in Heilongjiang province,” p. 38.

  23. 23.

    Ibid., p. 36.

  24. 24.

    Ibid.

  25. 25.

    Ibid.

  26. 26.

    Liu, “The concept of law enforcement must be changed in order to carry out the ‘Three Represents’,” p. 8.

  27. 27.

    Ren Xide and Liu, Zhijun, “Proper measures for investigating syndicate crimes in China,” Policing Studies, vol. 138, no. 4 (2006), p. 45.

  28. 28.

    Wang, “Probe to law enforcement by public security organs in Heilongjiang province,” p. 37.

  29. 29.

    Ibid.

  30. 30.

    Li Lihong, “The conspicuous problems of police training and the proposed solutions,” Policing Studies, vol. 135, no. 1 (2006), pp. 47–52.

  31. 31.

    Wang, “Probe to law enforcement by public security organs in Heilongjiang province,” p. 36.

  32. 32.

    Zhou Xuejun, “Psychological pressure on police officers and the question of how to relieve it,” Policing Studies, vol. 124, no. 2 (2005), p. 69.

  33. 33.

    Ibid., p. 69.

  34. 34.

    Wang, “Probe to law enforcement by public security organs in Heilongjiang province,” p. 37.

  35. 35.

    Gao, Xuezhang, “Pondering over the experiences of dealing with complaints openly,” Policing Studies, vol. 135, no. 1 (2006), p. 41.

  36. 36.

    Ibid., p. 43.

  37. 37.

    Li Zhen and Yin Yong, “An inquiry into public complaints and building up an effective complaints mechanism,” Policing Studies, vol. 120, no. 10 (2004), p. 79.

  38. 38.

    Liang Jiyou, “A study of increasing and maintaining the rate of satisfaction with social order,” Policing Studies, vol. 106, no. 8 (2003), p. 57.

  39. 39.

    Ibid., p. 56.

  40. 40.

    Shao Hua, “Carrying out sturdily the project of checking the family status while paying visits to the residence in order to enhance the control of population and service,” Policing Studies, vol. 102, no. 4 (2003), p. 14.

  41. 41.

    Fu Shijie et al, “Pondering over how to strengthen the basic work in anti-narcotics intelligence,” Policing Studies, vol. 140, no. 6 (2006), pp. 63–67.

  42. 42.

    Ibid., p. 64.

  43. 43.

    Ibid., pp. 66–67.

  44. 44.

    Sun Liping, “Pondering over the legislation on tax-related crimes in China,” Policing Studies, vol. 140, no. 6 (2006), p. 89.

  45. 45.

    Ibid., p. 90.

  46. 46.

    Ibid., p. 91.

  47. 47.

    Sonny Shiu-Hing Lo, The Politics of Cross-Border Crime in Greater China: Case Studies of Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao (Armonk: M. E. Sharpe, 2009).

  48. 48.

    Liu, “The concept of law enforcement must be changed in order to carry out the ‘Three Represents’,” p. 6.

  49. 49.

    Zhao Hongxing, “The practice and reflections on the campaign against organized crime and evil influence,” Policing Studies, vol. 99, no. 1 (2003), pp. 26–29.

  50. 50.

    Li Weiting, “Displaying legality and winning the people’s trust in combating syndicates like criminal groups,” Policing Studies, vol. 138, no. 4 (2006), pp. 38–40.

  51. 51.

    Jiang Jichang, “Investigation into public order during the ‘open election’ by village committees in Jilin prefecture,” Policing Studies, vol. 122, no. 12 (2004), pp. 87–92.

  52. 52.

    Wang Chongqing, “The current characteristics and causes of securities-related crimes in China and the responding counter-measures,” Policing Studies, vol. 138, no. 4 (2006), pp. 46–50.

  53. 53.

    Ibid., p. 47.

  54. 54.

    Ibid., p. 48.

  55. 55.

    Ibid., p. 49.

  56. 56.

    Ibid., p. 48. For the Commission’s functions, see China Daily, November 14, 2006.

  57. 57.

    Wang, “The current characteristics and causes …,” p. 49.

  58. 58.

    Wang Weibiao and Li Xingfeng, “Preventing and controlling money laundering in ‘underground banks,’ ” Policing Studies, vol. 138, no. 4 (2006), pp. 51–55.

  59. 59.

    Ibid., p. 52.

  60. 60.

    Ibid., p. 52.

  61. 61.

    Ma Yue, “The Chinese Police,” in M. R. Haberfeld and Ibrahim Carrah, eds., Comparative Policing (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2007), pp. 13–60.

  62. 62.

    Huang Shuangquan, “Reform the system of residence service with the goal of being equal in identity and free to change residence,” Policing Studies, vol. 111, no. 1 (2004), pp. 40–43. Police Science Society of Huzhou, “Practical probe to the reform of residence service system,” Policing Studies, vol. 111, no. 1 (2004), pp. 44–47.

  63. 63.

    Qiu Lian, “Studies in anti-terrorism in Xinjiang,” Policing Studies, vol. 112, no. 2 (2004), pp. 76–79.

  64. 64.

    Shan Gongyan, “An inquiry into violent attacks on police officers,” Policing Studies, vol. 133, no. 11 (2005), pp. 53–59.

  65. 65.

    Ibid., p. 57.

  66. 66.

    Ibid., p. 58.

  67. 67.

    Ma Yongmei, “Probing the factors shaping the relations between the police and the community,” Policing Studies, vol. 118, no. 8 (2004), pp. 53–56.

  68. 68.

    Ibid., p. 56.

  69. 69.

    Zhang Xiaoping, “An analysis of police occupational fatigue and its impact,” Gongan Jiaoyu (Police Education), vol. 1 (2006), pp. 13–15.

  70. 70.

    Li Guoen, “Several considerations over the further improvement of the efficiency of overall fight against crime,” Policing Studies, vol. 126, no. 8 (2005), pp. 64–67.

  71. 71.

    Ibid., p. 65.

  72. 72.

    In 2007, the ratio was 393 officers for every 100,000 residents and the police had a strength of 27,339 officers. See Hong Kong Police Review 2007, in http://www.police.gov.hk/info/review/2007/west/appendices/pdf/Appendix01.pdf, access date: June 6, 2016. In 2007, Hong Kong’s population was 6,963,100. See “Population and Immigration,” in http://www.yearbook.gov.hk/2007/en/pdf/E20.pdf, access date: June 6, 2016.

  73. 73.

    Xiong Yixin and Wang Yanxuei, “Current laws and characteristics of kidnapping in China,” Policing Studies, vol. 124, no. 2 (2005), pp. 55–57.

  74. 74.

    Li, “Several considerations over the further improvement of the efficiency of overall fight against crime,” p. 66.

  75. 75.

    Qin Jianping, “Reforms of the operational mechanism of policing,” Policing Studies, vol. 129, no. 7 (2005), pp. 80–83.

  76. 76.

    Ibid., p. 58.

  77. 77.

    Ibid., p. 59.

  78. 78.

    Ibid., p. 60.

  79. 79.

    Ming Pao, March 3, 2016, p. A22.

  80. 80.

    Lu Jidong, “Legal considerations of ‘private detectives,’ ” Policing Studies, vol. 120, no. 10 (2004), pp. 67–72.

  81. 81.

    Ibid., p. 67.

  82. 82.

    Ibid., p. 70.

  83. 83.

    Oriental Daily News, April 15, 2016, p. A35.

  84. 84.

    Sun Haibo and Wang Lianqing, “The feasibility of private detectives in China,” Policing Studies, vol. 120, no. 10 (2004), pp. 73–77.

  85. 85.

    Ibid., p. 74.

  86. 86.

    For details, see http//:www.fareast-secur.com.hk, access date: January 1, 2009.

  87. 87.

    For details, watch the advertisements of the Hong Kong Cable TV Channel 41, May 29, 2015.

  88. 88.

    Li Xiaobin, “Taking advantage of Xiamen’s Location to improve the public security work toward Taiwan,” Policing Studies, vol. 106, no. 8 (2003), pp. 60–63.

  89. 89.

    Li Lihong, “Review of policing in Hong Kong,” Policing Studies, vol. 123, no. 1 (2005), pp. 93–96.

  90. 90.

    Ibid., p. 96. Personal discussion with a senior Hong Kong police officer, January 2009.

  91. 91.

    Li Zhibin, “Commenting on police statistical analysis,” Policing Studies, vol. 86, no. 12 (2001), pp. 67–69.

  92. 92.

    Su Fayao, “Internet subculture and juvenile delinquency,” Policing Studies, vol. 139, no. 5 (2006), pp. 76–80.

  93. 93.

    Qiu Zhiyong, “Law and order accountability power of public security agencies in dealing with petitions and complaints,” Policing Studies, vol. 127, no. 5 (2005), pp. 58–60.

  94. 94.

    Wu Sha, “Making efforts to reinforce the handling of unexpected public order events and maintaining socio-political stability,” Policing Studies, vol. 122, no. 12 (2004), pp. 48–53.

  95. 95.

    Sonny Lo, “The Politics of Policing the Anti-WTO Protests in Hong Kong,” Asian Journal of Political Science, vol. 14, no. 2 (December 2006), pp. 140–162.

  96. 96.

    Wang Donghua, “Probe to law enforcement by public security organs in Heilongjiang province,” Policing Studies, vol. 106, no. 8 (2003), p. 39.

  97. 97.

    Ibid.

  98. 98.

    Qin, “Reforms of the operational mechanism of policing,” p. 83.

  99. 99.

    Liang Jiyou, “A study of increasing and maintaining the rate of satisfaction with social order,” Policing Studies, vol. 106, no. 8 (2003), p. 56.

  100. 100.

    Shao, “Carrying out sturdily the project of checking the family status while paying visits to the residence in order to enhance the control of population and service,” p. 14.

  101. 101.

    Ibid., p. 15.

  102. 102.

    Hong Kong TVB News, July 2008.

  103. 103.

    Huang Weiwen, “Establishing mutual trust between the police and the public and trying the best to build up a harmonious society,” Policing Studies, vol. 132, no. 10 (2005), pp. 31–34.

  104. 104.

    Cui Jian, “Improving thoroughly the quality of police force by implementing the ‘Five Prohibitions’ as a turning point,” Policing Studies, vol. 102, no. 4 (2003), pp.18–21.

  105. 105.

    Ibid.

  106. 106.

    Lu Dianxi, “Separate interviews by police officers in prisons and detention houses and their countermeasures,” Policing Studies, vol. 115, no. 5 (2004), pp. 84–87.

  107. 107.

    Kong Xianming, “Considering the establishment of the urban squad of plainclothes policemen,” Policing Studies, vol. 129, no. 7 (2005), pp. 75–79.

  108. 108.

    Ren Xide and Liu, Zhijun, “Proper measures for investigating syndicate crimes in China,” Policing Studies, vol. 138, no. 4 (2006), pp. 42–45.

  109. 109.

    Zhao, “The practice and reflections on the campaign against organized crime and evil influence,” p. 28.

  110. 110.

    Zhu Xianhai, “Government funding the employment of security personnel in return for maintaining a safe and sound society,” Policing Studies, vol. 135, no. 1 (2006), pp. 37–40.

  111. 111.

    Ibid., p. 38.

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  1. Department of Social Sciences, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Sonny Shiu-Hing Lo

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Lo, S.SH. (2016). Modernization of China’s Police and Learning from Hong Kong. In: The Politics of Policing in Greater China. Politics and Development of Contemporary China. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-39070-7_3

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