In 2019, Mr. Cheng, a pro-democracy activist from Hong Kong and a former employee of Britain’s Consulate there, was arrested after a business trip to mainland China.
When he was finally released, he no longer felt safe in Hong Kong, and in early 2020, he fled to Britain and claimed asylum.
“It’s not hard to adapt to a new life in the U.K. in some ways,” said Mr. Cheng, 33.
Last year, the Hong Kong authorities put a bounty on Mr. Cheng and other activists, offering $128,000 for information leading to their arrest.
Still, like many Hong Kong activists living in self-imposed exile in Britain, he hoped his newfound distance from the Chinese authorities put him far from their reach.
Persons:
Simon Cheng, Cheng, “ It’s, ”, —
Organizations:
Hong
Locations:
China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Britain, London