Publisher detained in China ‘confesses’, blames Sweden

SHANGHAI: Detained book publisher Gui Minhai has surfaced nearly three weeks after disappearing into police custody in China, confessing wrongdoing and accusing his adopted country Sweden of manipulating him like a "chess piece".

It was unclear whether the Chinese-born Gui’s statement was made under duress, but video of his confession shows him flanked by two police officers and a close friend said the remarks were "not to be believed".

The Chinese-born Gui, 53, was arrested on a train to Beijing last month while travelling with two Swedish diplomats -- the second time he has vanished into Chinese custody in murky circumstances.

Sweden, the European Union and the United States have called for Gui’s release, with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom on Monday calling his seizure "brutal".

But Gui accused Sweden of "sensationalising" his case.

"I have stated that I do not want Sweden to continue to sensationalise what has happened to me. But obviously, Sweden has not stopped doing so," he said in the video.

"I felt that it was necessary for me to come out and say something".

The video emerged from an "interview" set up on Friday with handpicked Chinese media, according to their reports.

Gui was travelling by train to Beijing from the eastern China city of Ningbo, where doctors had said he may have the neurological disease ALS.