String of disappearances in recent years

(From left) Mr Zhou Chengjian, Mr Yim Fung, Mr Guo Guangchang and Mr Mao Xiaofeng are among the "temporarily disappeared".
Mr Zhou Chengjian (above), Mr Yim Fung, Mr Guo Guangchang and Mr Mao Xiaofeng are among the "temporarily disappeared".
(From left) Mr Zhou Chengjian, Mr Yim Fung, Mr Guo Guangchang and Mr Mao Xiaofeng are among the "temporarily disappeared".
Mr Zhou Chengjian, Mr Yim Fung (above), Mr Guo Guangchang and Mr Mao Xiaofeng are among the "temporarily disappeared".
(From left) Mr Zhou Chengjian, Mr Yim Fung, Mr Guo Guangchang and Mr Mao Xiaofeng are among the "temporarily disappeared".
Mr Zhou Chengjian, Mr Yim Fung, Mr Guo Guangchang (above) and Mr Mao Xiaofeng are among the "temporarily disappeared".
(From left) Mr Zhou Chengjian, Mr Yim Fung, Mr Guo Guangchang and Mr Mao Xiaofeng are among the "temporarily disappeared".
Mr Zhou Chengjian, Mr Yim Fung, Mr Guo Guangchang and Mr Mao Xiaofeng (above) are among the "temporarily disappeared".

HONG KONG • Overseas Chinese- language media outlets have linked the disappearance of tycoon Xiao Jianhua to China's on- going anti-corruption campaign.

In 2014, reports said he had fled to Hong Kong following rumours that he was the target of a graft investigation. He denied the reports at that time.

News site Initium said Mr Xiao, founder of the Beijing-based Tomorrow Group, had wanted to move some of his businesses to Japan after feeling unsafe in Hong Kong.

A string of high-profile businessmen from the mainland have "temporarily disappeared" in recent years.

Their disappearances have generated turmoil in Chinese stock markets, which are closed this week for Chinese New Year.

In January last year, Mr Zhou Chengjian, billionaire chairman of well-known domestic fashion brand Metersbonwe, went missing for a week.

His disappearance followed close on the heels of Mr Guo Guangchang's.

Mr Guo, chairman of the Fosun conglomerate, went missing in December 2015 and was subsequently released.

That same month, Mr Chang Xiaobing, chief executive of state-owned telecommunications giant China Telecom, resigned after he was taken away for questioning.

In January 2015, Caixin magazine reported that Mr Mao Xiaofeng, president of China Minsheng Banking Corp, was not reachable, after he was taken away to assist with an investigation.

Minsheng Bank said he had resigned for "personal reasons", after Chinese media reported the investigation.

Mr Yim Fung, chairman and chief executive of Guotai Junan International Holdings, could not be contacted for more than a month after disappearing on Nov 18, 2015.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 02, 2017, with the headline String of disappearances in recent years. Subscribe