The Latest: Britain says Hong Kong consular employee missing

By Associated Press 20 August 2019, 12:00AM

HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on Hong Kong's protests (all times local):

2:45 p.m.

The British foreign ministry says it is "extremely concerned" about an employee of its Hong Kong consulate missing since crossing into China on a business trip.

A statement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was seeking information from Hong Kong and Guangdong province about the fate of the employee who was detained while crossing from the Chinese city of Shenzhen into Hong Kong.

Local media identified him as Simon Cheng Man-kit, a trade and investment officer at the Scottish Development International section of the consulate, who attended a business event in Shenzhen on Aug. 8. They say he never returned to Hong Kong despite plans to do so the same day via the high speed rail link Express Rail Link.

Chinese authorities had no immediate comment Tuesday on the statement.

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2:30 p.m.

Hong Kong protest organizers have rejected the city leader's plan to set up a platform for dialogue, calling it a trap that is aimed at wasting time.

Members of the Civil Human Rights Front on Tuesday were responding to Chief Executive Carrie Lam's announcement that she is immediately setting up a "communication platform" to resolve differences to end the protests.

The group's vice-convenor, Wong Yik-mo, said Lam is "not responding at all" to the protest movement's demands, including genuine democracy and an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality.

He said, "We do not trust Carrie Lam, we do not trust her lies."

Jimmy Sham, another member, suggest that if Lam wants dialogue, she should come to a protest.

The Civil Human Rights Front has organized several mass anti-government rallies that have attracted huge crowds in recent months, while many other groups that have joined the leaderless movement have held their own events.

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This story has been corrected in the 2:30 p.m. entry to say the protest movement is not calling for Lam's resignation.

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11 a.m.

Hong Kong's leader says she's setting up a "communication platform" to resolve differences in the city after months of anti-government protests.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam also said Tuesday a fact-finding study will look at the causes of the protests and the police response to them.

The movement held a massive but peaceful rally on Sunday after earlier protests had been marked by violence. Lam and other officials have conditioned dialogue on the protest movement remaining peaceful.

Lam's comments fell short of the protesters demands, including for her resignation and an independent inquiry into what they say was police brutality.

By Associated Press 20 August 2019, 12:00AM
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