
BEIJING - An employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong has been detained in China for involvement in prostitution, the state-backed Global Times newspaper said on Thursday, as Britain said it continued to urgently seek information.
China's foreign ministry confirmed on Wednesday that the employee, Simon Cheng, had been detained in the border city of Shenzhen neighbouring Hong Kong.
In a report on its English-language website, the paper, published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, cited Shenzhen police as saying Cheng had been detained for 15 days for "solicitation of prostitution".
Police in Shenzhen's district of Luohu said Cheng had violated article 66 of the law on administrative penalties for public security, it added.
The law provides for those who engage in prostitution, or who visit prostitutes, to be detained for a period ranging from 10 to 15 days, and they may also be fined 5,000 yuan ($705.15).