A convoy of armoured vehicles from the People's Armed Police (PAP) have been seen assembling in Shenzhen purportedly for an exercise.

Chinese state media released the videos on social media on Aug. 12.

In video: Chinese armed police armored vehicle fleet is prepared for a drill in Shenzhen, S China's Guangdong province. pic.twitter.com/bU4IxhaM0s

— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) August 12, 2019

The People’s Armed Police have been assembling in Shenzhen, a city bordering Hong Kong, in advance of apparent large-scale exercises, videos obtained by the Global Times have shown. https://t.co/3KgaXeHw3C pic.twitter.com/YXAORMay0W

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 12, 2019

Speculation

The videos have since sparked speculation and fears of the convoy's purpose.

It is a presumably ominous sign of things to come.

Disturbing video taken in #Shenzhen just across the boarder with #HongKong. Something extraordinarily bad is about happen. #China #HongKongProtests #Democracy #SaveHongKong https://t.co/Gad5R5HVZL

— Alexandre Krauss (@AlexandreKrausz) August 12, 2019

Vehicles are part of a paramilitary group

Foreign Policy diagnosed the situation in its most dire terms: "China’s Paramilitary Police Could Crush Hong Kong".

The PAP, according to FP, is a paramilitary group that clamps down on internal dissent, conducts counterterrorism operations, and maintains order across China.

The PAP has been particularly active in Xinjiang and Tibet.

It allegedly fired on Uighurs in 2009 in the wake of riots in Urumqi and put down protests in Tibet in 2008, in what has become known as the "3-14 riots" in Chinese state media.

Additionally, the PAP has also been deployed across China to put down protests on environmental issues and labour disputes, such as during a power plant protest in 2005, in which 20 people were reportedly shot.

With regards to its arsenal, the PAP has been reported as having its own artillery, helicopter, special forces, anti-personnel vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles.

It was also restructured in 2018 to serve as a backup to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Attacks on police "signs of terrorism"

South China Morning Post reported that the same day of the videos' release also saw the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office release a statement condemning the attacks on Hong Kong police as "signs of terrorism".

Protesters who hurled petrol bombs on Aug. 11 at Cheung Sha Wan and Tsim Sha Tsui police stations, and Wan Chai police headquarters were called out by Yang Guang, a spokesperson from the office, Chinese state media CCTV reported.

Yang further praised the Hong Kong police for their handling of the protests, and called for the perpetrators of violence to be swiftly brought to justice, while slamming the protesters for causing injuries.

Yang said: "This is a gross violation of the rule of law and social order in Hong Kong."

Convoy part of psychological tactic?

The show of force is likely to be just that, some experts quoted by SCMP said.

The move is described as a psychological tactic, Dixon Sing Ming, a political-science professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology said.

Another Beijing-based military specialist, Zhou Chenming, added that people should not feel nervous about the convoy, given that the central government has stated it will only interfere in the event of large-scale riots and an appeal by the Hong Kong government for support.

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Top image collage from The People's Daily