Photo: web

Former employee at British Consulate General in Hong Kong Simon Cheng Man-kit has told the BBC he was tortured in police custody on the Chinese mainland in August. Cheng was detained by police in Luohu district of Shenzhen, a city borders Hong Kong, for 15 days for soliciting prostitutes. 

He kept a low profile after he was released and went back to Hong Kong.

During the interview with the BBC, he described how he was tortured - being hooded, handcuffed and hung on something for several hours, kept in "stress position" like half squat for hours. 

His description fed into Western media's imagination of "how communist China tortures people." Following the BBC interview, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab summoned the Chinese ambassador.  

We want to ask Western media and politicians, who believe Cheng's claims "are credible," some questions. Cheng solicited prostitutes but dared not admit it and skirted the question by saying he did nothing regrettable to those people he cherishes and loves. Is such a person credible? Should the claims of a man like Cheng be taken as proof by foreign secretary of a country like the UK to summon another big power's ambassador?

It is widely recognized that the Chinese mainland has made substantial progress in preventing the practice of forced confession. Scandals and controversies on custodial torture on the mainland have disappeared for years. So why would Shenzhen police want to put themselves in hot water by torturing a Hong Kong citizen at a sensitive time and place?

Cheng made up several unverified stories, accusing "China's national security police" of persecution. But two things have been proven: First, he solicited prostitutes, a fact that Cheng himself dared not deny; and second, he was released after being detained for 15 days, based on legal provisions. 

In other words, Cheng was arrested and freed in accordance with the laws of the Chinese mainland. He is making up stories in an intermediate zone where the outside world cannot see, so that he can pick and choose the plots loved most by the Hong Kong opposition and Westerners.

From our perspective, Cheng is using fictitious tales to win sympathy and support of the Hong Kong opposition and Western public opinion in a bid to cover up the fact that he solicited prostitutes. 

He overtly stated that he didn't want to focus on the question of whether he solicited a prostitute. He is trying to create an image of a political victim who was hijacked by the mainland's security establishment for his support of Hong Kong's "democratic movement."

The most interesting part of Cheng's case is that a person of dubious moral character is being strongly supported by the British media and government. They believe whatever he said. There are plenty of rogues worldwide, but some of them have been painted as heroes. This is the real origin of many tragedies in human society.

Some radical protesters in Hong Kong have set people holding different opinions on fire. We have also seen shameless persons like Cheng who are being defended by the Hong Kong opposition and Western public opinion. How many hypocritical and vicious voices in Hong Kong are aiming to gain a reputation by deception? 

Western public opinion is telling a monstrous lie to the world against China. China is leading its people toward modernization but is portrayed as a dark country frequently violating human rights. 

People-centric China is promoting practical resolutions to multiple issues and has achieved fruitful outcomes, but is criticized for "autocracy." The current age is the most absurd one for Western public opinion.