A Scottish Government worker at the British embassy in Hong Kong was detained in China for ‘visiting a prostitute ’.
Simon Cheng Man-kit, who works for Scottish Development International in Hong Kong, vanished two weeks ago after crossing the Chinese border for a business trip.
The Chinese Communist Party’s Global Times newspaper has been reporting that he allegedly violated the country’s laws on prostitution.
It says that the 28-year-old “violated the 66 article of China’s law on administrative penalties for public security, which states that people who engage in prostitution or visit prostitutes shall be detained for no less than 10 days but no more than 15 days.”
His 15th day of detention will be on Friday, August 23.
Cheng reportedly told the police not to notify his family about his detention, the newspaper said, adding that he faces a potential 5,000 yuan (£580).
It gave no evidence against Cheng.
Before the Global Times story was published, the consulate said it had raised the issue with authorities in China and Hong Kong and was in contact with Cheng’s family and providing support.
Allegations of visiting prostitutes have later proved false in other instances where Hong Kong residents have been detained in China.
A Hong Kong lawmaker apologised after accusing bookseller and Communist Party critic Lee Bo of visiting prostitutes, the South China Morning Post reported in 2016.
The family of the Scottish Government worker say that they have been unable to speak to him since his disappearance.
In a statement released today, the Foreign Office said: “We continue to urgently seek further information about Simon's case.
"Neither we nor Simon's family have been able to speak to him since his detention. That is our priority and we continue to raise Simon's case repeatedly in China, Hong Kong and London and have sought to make contact with Simon himself."
