Beijing Confirms UK Consulate In Hong Kong Staffer Is Under Administrative Detention

A staffer of the UK Consulate in Hong Kong, who is a Chinese citizen, has been detained by Shenzhen police and placed under administrative detention for 15 days, the Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesman, Geng Shuang, confirmed on Wednesda

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2019) A staffer of the UK Consulate in Hong Kong, who is a Chinese citizen, has been detained by Shenzhen police and placed under administrative detention for 15 days, the Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesman, Geng Shuang, confirmed on Wednesday.

Reports have recently emerged in UK media that Chinese authorities have detained Simon Cheng, supposedly upon his return from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, located in Guangdong province.

"According to the information that we have, this man has violated administrative regulations of China's public security and has been detained by Shenzhen police for 15 days.

He has been placed under administrative detention," Geng said.

"This employee of the consulate is not a UK citizen, he is a citizen of Hong Kong, which is a special administrative region of China, which means that he is a Chinese citizen, and this is China's internal matter," Geng stressed.

The UK Foreign Office has expressed concerns over media reports about Cheng's detention.