HONG KONG—Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of a Chinese-born Canadian billionaire reportedly seized in Hong Kong by mainland Chinese police, in a case that could rekindle concerns about overreach by Chinese law enforcement in the semiautonomous city.
Xiao Jianhua is in mainland China, according to Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post on Wednesday, citing an anonymous source close to the tycoon, one of China’s richest individuals. Overseas Chinese news sites said earlier that Chinese police officers escorted Xiao from his suite at the luxury Four Seasons Hotel last Friday and took him away. Such news sites carry reports of political gossip and corruption scandals that can be difficult to verify in tightly controlled China.
The reports contradict a front-page ad on the same day in the Ming Pao newspaper purportedly in Xiao’s name, denying he was taken against his will. That would be an apparent breach of the city’s mini-constitution, which prohibits mainland Chinese law enforcement agencies from operating in Hong Kong.
“Let there be no misunderstanding!” the statement said. “It’s not true that I’ve been abducted and taken back to the mainland.”
Xiao is the founder of Beijing-based Tomorrow Group. The 46-year-old is worth nearly $6 billion, making him China’s 32nd wealthiest person, according to the Hurun Report , China’s version of the Forbes Rich List.
It’s unclear why Xiao was targeted, but his case has parallels with that of five Hong Kong booksellers, who disappeared in 2015 only to turn up under control of the mainland authorities, sparking fears that Beijing was eroding Hong Kong’s wide autonomy and rule of law. The five sold gossipy books about China’s communist leaders that were banned on the mainland but popular with Chinese visitors.
China’s Ministry of Public Security and Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday, a public holiday in China.
The Hong Kong police force said Wednesday they have asked Chinese authorities for help in following up on the case.
In response to an inquiry about Xiao, the police force said initial investigations showed the “subject” crossed into the mainland at a border checkpoint Friday. They had launched the investigation after receiving a request for assistance from a family member on Saturday but a day later, the relative asked to withdraw the report after getting word that he was safe.
Xiao is reported to have built his fortune in part because of close connections with the families of Communist Party leaders. In 2014, reports said he fled to Hong Kong following rumors he was the target of a graft investigation — reports he denied at the time.
