A Hong Kong citizen named Simon Cheng who previously worked at the British consulate recently made the claim that he was detained in China in August. In response, Chinese officials released a video that appears to be Cheng soliciting a prostitute. There have also been reports recently that Cheng is trying to come to Taiwan to seek asylum. The Mainland Affairs Council says it cannot comment due to privacy reasons but the number of Hong Kong citizens coming to Taiwan to seek asylum has gone up in recent days.


The face of the man in this CCTV footage cannot be seen clearly. The video, which was released by Chinese state media outlet "People's Daily," appears to show former British consulate worker and Hong Kong citizen Simon Cheng soliciting a prostitute. There is another clip of Cheng saying he was ashamed of what he'd done. Cheng recently claimed he'd been detained and interrogated in China.

I'm so embarrassed. I'm so ashamed. None of my friends know I would do something like this. I can't face my girlfriend or family.

Some believe Cheng is not the man in the first video. Cheng disappeared in Shenzhen in early August. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Cheng was under administrative detention for 15 days. According to Cheng, he was tortured by police while in detention. He also wrote on Facebook that he was coerced into a false confession that British capital was helping to fund the anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong. Rumors are now circulating Cheng may seek asylum in Taiwan.

We are not in a position to provide personal details on travelers for privacy reasons. Many Hong Kong travelers have inquired (about asylum) or asked for assistance. The number is on the rise.

(The Chinese communists) (use these claims) to hide their own offenses and often accuse (political prisoners) of moral crimes to discredit them.

The Mainland Affairs Council says the number of Hong Kong citizens seeking political asylum in Taiwan has gone up recently. The Taiwan Citizen Front, meanwhile, says China often accuses political prisoners of crimes like solicitation and fraud. Cheng has resigned from his job at the consulate, which may escalate tensions between China and England.



監視器畫面看到一名男子進出羅湖會所登記，但是看不清楚面貌，這是中國官媒人民日報公布的影片，聲稱是前英國駐香港總領事館員工，鄭文傑嫖妓的影片，來反駁鄭文傑說被中國刑求。還有一段鄭文傑被偵訊，坦承嫖妓而感到羞愧。

前英國駐港總領事館雇員 鄭文傑表示：「好丟臉啊，好羞愧，周圍的朋友都不知道我會做這件事情，我都沒有臉面對女朋友、家人。」

不過監視器畫面中在會所出現的男子，也遭質疑樣貌不清楚，無法斷定就是鄭文傑。鄭文傑在8月初入境深圳後失聯，中國外交部證實對鄭文傑行政拘留15天。鄭文傑在外媒專訪中，指控在中國拘留時被刑求，同時也在臉書聲明，詳述被拘留經歷，中國國安人員逼供他承認英國資金介入反送中運動。但他嚴正否認在嚴刑脅迫下的所有自白。現在還傳出鄭文傑近日來台尋求庇護。

陸委會副主委 邱垂正表示：「屬於旅客個人隱私，我們不方便說明，許多香港旅客來詢問(庇護)，或尋求協助，是有增加的趨勢。」

台灣公民陣線執行委員 賴中強表示：「（中共)用來掩飾自己犯行，屈打成招的結果，就找一個輕罪，在道德上打擊(政治犯)正當性。」

陸委會表示，近日香港來台尋求政治庇護人數有增加趨勢。公民陣線執委賴中強指出，以嫖妓、詐欺等罪名打擊政治犯，是中國常見的手法。鄭文傑因為這起事件，辭去英國領事館的職位，但這被認為會加劇中英因為香港問題上本已緊張的關係。