‘Abduction’ of China tycoon sparks fear in Hong Kong

HONG KONG: The mystery over the reported abduction from Hong Kong of a Chinese billionaire deepened on Wednesday after a newspaper advert appeared in his name pledging loyalty to China, in a case that has heightened fears over Beijing’s meddling.

The whereabouts of financier Xiao Jianhua -one of China’s richest men - are unclear after reports in overseas Chinese-language media that he was taken from Hong Kong by mainland security agents last week.

The reports suggested Xiao’s disappearance was part of China’s ongoing anticorruption campaign, which some critics believe has been used to target President Xi Jinping’s political opponents.

A front-page advert in Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao, attributed to Xiao, said Wednesday he had “always loved the (ruling Communist) party and the country” and would soon meet with media. “I personally believe the Chinese government is civilised and has rule of law,” the advert read.

“I have not been kidnapped.”

Xiao, who said in the statement that he was a Canadian citizen, insisted he was being treated for an illness overseas, repeating a denial.

He had been abducted that had been published on his company’s Wechat account Monday.

The founder of Beijingbased Tomorrow Group, Xiao has previously denied allegations that he fled to Hong Kong in 2014 to escape a corruption crackdown by President Xi.

He is reported to have acted as a broker for the Chinese leadership, including for the family of president Xi.

It is illegal for mainland agents to operate in the semiautonomous city.

But, the disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers known for publishing salacious titles about Beijing’s leadership in 2015 which prompted the widespread criticism that China had overstepped the mentioned line long back.