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A worker at the UK’s Hong Kong consulate has been detained at the border for allegedly violating the law, China has confirmed.
Media reports on Tuesday said Simon Cheng, who is thought to be from Hong Kong, went missing on 8 August during a business trip.
China’s foreign ministry said Mr Cheng was detained at Shenzhen for 15 days.
The UK said it was “extremely concerned” and the embassy in Beijing was providing support to his family.
China said Mr Cheng had been detained for violating “public security management regulations”, although the foreign ministry gave no details of the alleged offence.
Following large-scale protests in Hong Kong, travellers have reported heightened security measures on the mainland side, with people passing through being subjected to police checks of their mobile phones.
The protests, now entering their third month, were sparked by a now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed Hong Kong to send criminal suspects to China for trial.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said they had made “stern representations” to the UK over comments made since the protests began in Hong Kong.
“We request they stop making these irresponsible statements, stop meddling in Hong Kong’s affairs and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs,” he said.
He said Mr Cheng was a Chinese citizen and his detention was an internal affair.
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According to local outlet HKFP, Mr Cheng is a trade and investment officer at the Scottish Development International section of the consulate.
It said on 8 August he travelled to a business event in Shenzhen in south-east China, which links Hong Kong to the mainland.
His girlfriend told HKFP that he planned to travel home the same day, but did not return. In online messages, he wrote that he was passing through the border, adding “pray for me”.
Earlier this year, China also arrested two Canadians, accusing them of espionage after detaining them for several months. It followed the arrest in Canada of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on behalf of the US.