London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 01, 2025

Former UK consulate employee ‘tailed’ in Taiwan

Simon Cheng was detained for 15 days in Shenzhen for ‘soliciting prostitution’ and fled to Taiwan after release
Taiwan has become a safe haven in recent years for dissidents and anyone who fears being purged in Hong Kong.

When a major stakeholder of a Hong Kong bookstore known for selling salacious publications about Chinese leaders escaped detention in mainland China, he decided to seek shelter on the self-ruled island.

Last month, a former employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong, after being released by the public security bureau in Shenzhen following 15 days of detention for “soliciting prostitution,” also chose to flee to Taiwan.

But Simon Cheng soon felt what he thought was Beijing’s long arm while he was in Taipei, and told reporters he was constantly tailed during his three-month stay in the island’s capital.

Cheng, a Hongkonger who was detained in August after a business trip to the neighboring mainland city of Shenzhen, revealed over the past weekend that he had been followed by an “unknown person” throughout Taipei over the past months. He said he sought to stay away from the media and had been thinking about his next move following his release.

Another reason for choosing Taiwan was because he graduated from the National Taiwan University.

Cheng’s job as a commerce promotion officer with the British consulate required frequent trips to mainland China.

Taiwanese newspapers revealed that after Cheng contacted the local government in Taipei, authorities dispatched bodyguards and agents to protect him.

He broke his silence on his detention in China last month and spoke about how he was “tortured” as Chinese agents tried to prise out of him proof and information about the United Kingdom fanning and organizing Hong Kong’s ongoing protests.

Taipei police officials said their initial investigations found that the man following Cheng was not Taiwanese and did not appear to be associated with any local pro-China groups.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry also noted that London’s representative office contacted the ministry soon after Cheng’s arrival.

In his extensive interviews with the BBC and the Washington Post, which were published last month, Cheng said he had been coerced by Chinese agents into making a false confession about soliciting prostitution in Shenzhen to explain his detention.

“In truth, [Chinese agents] wanted to know what role the UK had in the Hong Kong protests … They asked what support, money and equipment [the British consulate in the city] were giving to the protesters,” he told the BBC.

He also added that Chinese police told him during his interrogation that many Hong Kong protesters who had been arrested were shipped across the border to China to be questioned and processed.

Following Cheng’s revelations, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab summoned Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming over Cheng’s arrest and torture.

The British government offered Cheng a two-year working holiday visa, but Cheng was reportedly in talks to secure permanent residence or citizenship in the country, as he was looking for a job with the UK parliament or with a think tank.

He also plans to visit the United States and other Western countries to draw up support for Hong Kong and Taiwan’s freedoms and democracy.

The British consulate in Hong Kong declined to comment on Cheng’s remarks, adding that he was no longer a staffer and that the consulate had all along offered appropriate assistance to Cheng and his family during his detention.

It is understood that the consulate has stopped sending its employees to the mainland on business trips, a move also followed by the Canadian consulate.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
×