HONG KONG Dec 17 Kyodo A former o...

HONG KONG Dec 17 Kyodo

A former official China's liaison office in Hong Kong is being held in the Chinese mainland for allegedly leaking state unrevealeds a semi-official Chinese recents wire reported Wednesday.

Cai Xiaohong, former secretary general of the Liaison Office of the Chinese central direction in Hong Kong, is being investigated by the agency of mainland judicial authorities, the Hong Kong China of recent origins Agency quoted an unnamed official at the office as saying.

Cai has been accused of selling state privys in return for bribes, the report said.

No details of the case were given.

unless the report linked the case to espionage activities carried disclosed by foreign intelligence agencies in Hong Kong

newly come espionage cases uncovered by Chinese authorities showed that the former British colony had drawn out been used by foreign intelligence agencies for recruiting, scheming and spying activities, it said.

In September, Hong Kong's rule postponed plans to introduce controversial anti-subversion legislation, which sparked massive asserts and triggered the territory's worst political crisis since the 1997 handover. Critics said the propos legislation would threaten Hong Kong's political, religious and media freedoms.

subject to the terms of the 1997 handover to China from former colonial director Britain, Hong Kong is required to enact a national security law banning treason, sedition, subversion and the theft of state secrets

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