Advertisement
Simon Cheng: Hongkonger who was held in mainland China optimistic he can stay in Britain
- The former British consulate worker claimed he was tortured during his detention in August on his way back to Hong Kong after a business trip
- He tells rally in London his case could help other Hongkongers with British National (Overseas) passports gain British citizenship
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Former British consulate employee Simon Cheng Man-kit has said he expects the UK government to finalise details of his “protection arrangement” by June, as authorities in London assessed the Hongkonger’s claim that he was tortured while under Chinese custody last year.
Advertisement
Cheng, 28, said he was “optimistic” about the prospect of being able to stay in Britain when he addressed a protest in support of dissidents in Hong Kong and Xinjiang outside the Chinese embassy in London on Sunday.
Previously a trade and investment officer for the Scottish development international section of the British consulate in Hong Kong, Cheng was detained by Chinese authorities in August while returning to Hong Kong from a business trip to the neighbouring mainland city of Shenzhen.
His detention came at the height of Hong Kong’s anti-government protests, which were triggered by a now-withdrawn extradition bill that would have allowed suspects to be sent to the mainland’s Communist Party-controlled courts for trial.
“I am waiting for the details of the protection arrangement to be ready, hopefully by June,” Cheng said when asked about the British government’s progress. Cheng has so far been staying in London on a working holiday visa.
Advertisement
Advertisement