The Foreign Office has said it is “extremely concerned” by reports a staff member at its consulate in Hong Kong has been detained by China .

Simon Cheng Man-kit, who works at the British Consulate-General, failed to return on 8 August after visiting neighbouring Shenzen the day before, according to local media.

The trade and investment officer at the consulate’s Scottish Development International went missing after crossing the border into the Chinese city for a business trip, Hong Kong news outlet HK01 reported, citing an interview with his family and girlfriend.

“We are extremely concerned by reports that a member of our team has been detained returning to Hong Kong from Shenzhen,” a representative of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said in a statement released by the British embassy in Beijing.