Tiananmen troop: Time for a photo outside the Great Hall of the People

Some 40 Force staff and affiliates toured Beijing and Chengdu from June 26 to July 1, upping their knowledge of Chinese history and contemporary Mainland life, and giving their Putonghua plenty of practise.

The group was one of 29 delegations made up of disciplined services officers, students, teachers and other civilians who visited a host of provinces and cities during the period.

It included Director of Personnel and Training Leung Fung-shun, 20 Junior Police Call members, nine Police Constables, seven officers' children along with Superintendent Gregory Lam Kwai-bun, Inspector Charmaine Yip Pang and Sergeant Chan Chi-wah of the Police Public Relations Branch.

The delegation toured the Great Wall and the Forbidden City and met Vice-Premier Qian Qichen. They also caught the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square before heading southwest for Chengdu to be thrilled by the breathtaking Du Jiang Yan irrigation system, still in use after 2,000 years!

They visited the Chengdu People's Police Training School to sample some top shooting, martial arts and combat skills, along with traditional song and dance performances.

Chief leader of the delegations Richard Tang, son of the late philanthropist Sir Shiu Kin Tang, later visited Police Headquarters presenting Commissioner Eddie Hui Ki-on with a Chinese painting and a bronze sculpture given by the training school.