China tycoon's disappearance raises fears about Chinese encroachment into Hong Kong

Hong Kong

IN A newspaper ad, the Hong Kong billionaire declared that he was just fine, merely resting overseas.

The local news media insists that he is helping with an important investigation in China. The police say he left the territory through a normal border control point.

But Xiao Jianhua, one of China's wealthiest and most politically connected financiers, whose disappearance last month sent a chill through Hong Kong and the political class in Beijing, does not appear to be fine.

In the early hours of Jan 27, he w…