Britain's Hong Kong Consulate Official Detained At Chinese Border

An employee at Britain’s Hong Kong consulate has been detained by officials on his way back to Hong Kong from the Chinese mainland, local newspapers reported.

The UK foreign office is concerned by the detention of Simon Cheng, 28, who worked at the British Consulate-General. The employee, believed to be from Hong Kong, has been missing since Aug. 8. He had gone to the neighboring Shenzen on the previous day for a meeting.

His girlfriend Li told local media outlet HK01 that Cheng had gone to Shenzen for a one-day business trip and he went missing while crossing the border on his way back to Hong Kong. The screenshots of messages which show Cheng asking Li to pray for him has been shared online by her.

“Ready to pass through the border … pray for me,” the message said.

Cheng worked as a trade and investment officer at the Scottish Development International section. The British Embassy in Beijing said in a statement that it is providing support to Cheng’s family while it continues to seek further information from the officials at Guangdong Province and Hong Kong.

"We are concerned by reports that a member of our team has been detained while returning to Hong Kong from Shenzhen," a Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said in the statement released by the embassy.

The Chinese mainland and Hong Kong are linked by Shenzen which is in south-east China. Recently, the security measures at the border between China and Hong Kong have been increased in light of the protests taking place in Hong Kong. Several reports of travelers complaining about the police checks and increased scrutiny at the border have emerged, with some labeling the actions “close to terrorism.”

According to Li, Hong Kong officials informed her that Cheng has been placed under administrative detention at an unknown location in mainland China. The reason for the detention was not revealed. The detention and the uncertainty surrounding it comes at a time when China has witnessed one of the largest pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, threatening their authority over the city.

U.K. and the U.S. have been asking China to honor the One country two systems agreement under which Hong Kong, a former British colony, was returned to the Chinese fold in 1997. Beijing, however, has asked both of them to stop meddling in China’s internal matters.