SAF training in Taiwan is nothing new, we are there for almost 40 years, PRC know about it and I'm sure they got every bit of intel about our training activities there. According to some report, the HK port acted upon a ' tip off ' , someone call to inform them of this shipment.
This is what Chinese call ' Borrow a knife to kill ' It is PRC way of warning us through HK, I'm sure they transport these many times through HK port but now, PRC is showing us who is boss.
It's time PAP show us if they are worth their pay in dealing with big boys, I do not see China as a difficult country to deal with, they are very clear on their objectives and OB lines, Now we are on their cross hair because of our lack of sensitivity that US is a declining Super power and China and her alliance will move up to replace US first in Asia, then the rest of the world as we can see how fast they secure support and influence many South America, Africa, Central Asia countries through trade, silk road and strategic alliance, the latest being Chile.
LKY use to harp about riding the China rise, hence Suzhou Industrial park and training thousands of their civil servants, now under the current PAP, our relationship have degraded to one of hostility, if this continue, we will see irreversible damage within a decade or so as PRC dismantle our trade advantage and isolate us from their growing alliance.
But 70% here still think PAP is the bestest, so let's enjoy the good time while it last, like the famous saying goes 马照跑 舞照跳。
I suspect that in the past many SAF equipment have been transhipped thru HKG and there had been no problem. But this is just a shot from the chinese for the PAP to play ball when all other countries in the region have done so. Gay Loong and his defiant "Not the Middle Kingdom anymore" comment pissed off the chinese and they want to teach aqua boy a lesson.