Five Hong Kong petitioners hoping to air grievances to the central government ahead of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic were questioned on arrival in Beijing yesterday.
The two businessmen and three businesswomen arrived at Beijing West railway station and found state security officers waiting for them. They were taken to the station's customs area and questioned individually by about 20 officials from the security and petitions departments and representatives of the courts. They were detained for nearly four fours, then escorted to the Jingshun Hostel hotel in Xuanwu district.
The five were members of the Hong Kong (China) Investment Rights Concern Group, and some had travelled to Beijing last year during the Olympic Games. Most hope for justice in overturning or implementing court orders to recover financial losses.
Wong Pui-kam, 56, who operates restaurants in Shanghai, said surveillance began on the train.
'Half an hour before the train arrived at the railway station, a guy suddenly appeared out of nowhere, sitting outside our cabin. He followed us out of the train, where we found more officers waiting for us,' he said.
'I have no idea how they found out about us. It's strange.'