The Foreign Office has said it is extremely concerned by reports a British consulate official was detained in China after telling his girlfriend "pray for me".

Simon Cheng Man-Kit has not been seen for 12 days after he failed to return to work after a business trip to Shenzhen in China on 8 August.

The 28-year-old is a trade and investment officer at the UK's consulate in Hong Kong.

Image: Organisers said 1.7 million people took part in Sunday's peaceful pro-democracy march

Unconfirmed reports suggest he was detained in China while returning to the territory, where there have been mass anti-government protests.

He was on his way back by train when he called his girlfriend, urging her to "pray for me", and told her he was approaching the border when he lost contact, according to HK01.


The news website said he had since been reported missing.

It also reported that his girlfriend was told by the Hong Kong immigration department that he had been detained in mainland China - but there has been no official confirmation.

Image: Simon Cheng Man-Kit is a trade and investment officer in the UK's consulate in Hong Kong

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are extremely concerned by reports that a member of our team has been detained returning to Hong Kong from Shenzhen.

"As soon as we became aware, we raised the issue with the authorities in Guangdong Province and Hong Kong and have done so regularly since. We have also raised with the Chinese embassy in the UK and with the authorities in Beijing.

"We are also in regular contact with his family and providing them with support."

China's foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, was asked about the case earlier and replied: "I'm not aware of that."

Superintendent Kong Wing-Cheung, of Hong Kong Police, said the force had received a missing person report on 9 August. However, he did not disclose any more details and said he had not received any information from police in mainland China.

Mr Cheng Man-Kit works in the Scottish Development International section of the consulate.

A spokesman for the SDI said: "We are aware of the situation and Mr Cheng's welfare is our priority. We are seeking further information, working alongside our partners in the FCO who are in contact with Mr Cheng's family, as well as the Guangzhou and Hong Kong authorities."

Chinese army on alert for further Hong Kong protests

Shenzhen, in southeastern China, links Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland.

Mr Cheng Man-Kit's disappearance comes amid violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong which started almost three months ago.

Initially, the demonstrations were over plans for a law that would allow people in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China.

But broader concerns about claims of police brutality and the erosion of freedoms under the "one country, two systems" formula - enacted after Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997 - have now come to the fore.

The protesters want democratic reforms and the city's Beijing-backed leader, Carrie Lam, to resign.

13 August: Police in violent clashes with Hong Kong protesters

If it emerges Mr Cheng Man-Kit has been detained by China, it is likely to further enrage activists in Hong Kong who have been chanting "an eye for an eye" on the streets - in reference to a young woman shot in the eye by police on 11 August.

Sky's Tom Cheshire, in Hong Kong, said: "They [FCO] don't know why Simon Cheng Man-Kit has been detained. This is very worrying and very concerning, especially considering the length of time which is coming up to 12 days now.

"In China you can be put into administrative detention, which means you are basically under lock and key, for 15 days without any reason given to anyone.

"When we came over yesterday from Shenzhen to Hong Kong there was increased security at the border. One of our crew members was detained for an hour-and-a-half while they sorted out visa issues.

"They have tightened it up since these protests started. They have been checking people's phones to see whether they have pictures of these protests and making people delete them.

"The other thing is the UK relationship with China. The UK has been quite vocal in support for the Hong Kong protests. Beijing doesn't like that.

"We have seen China's ambassador to the UK standing up and telling Britain not to interfere in internal Chinese affairs.

"It is very unclear whether this is anything to do with this, whether it is a complication Beijing wants, or it can do without. They do have another three days before they have to give an official explanation.

"But there is a lot of friction here in Hong Kong between China and the UK, and this is certainly going to add more friction to it."