A MAINLAND tourist died in a Hong Kong public hospital yesterday morning after he was beaten unconscious by a gang of four men while mediating in a dispute between his female colleague and their tour group leader while they were at a jewelry shop Sunday.

    Miao Chunqi, a 53-year-old construction contractor from northeastern Heilongjiang Province, was certified dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 10:45 a.m. yesterday, according to local police.

    Police said the case would be classified as manslaughter.

    Police arrested his female colleague and the female group leader on suspicion of fighting in a public place Sunday night.

    Another Hong Kong man, 44, and a mainland man, 32, were arrested yesterday.

    The source said no serious injuries were found on the victim and an autopsy would be carried out to establish the cause of his death.

    The victim and his female colleague, 53, were among a group of 19 mainland tourists, including members from Fujian, Hubei, Shandong and Heilongjiang provinces. They arrived from Shenzhen on Sunday for a three-day tour.

    The group was taken to a jewelry shop in Man Lok Street, Hung Hom, for shopping after visiting Wong Tai Sin Temple on Sunday.

    A dispute erupted in the shop at about 11 a.m. when Miao’s colleague did not want to make a purchase and had an argument with the tour group leader. The pair allegedly fought each other during the dispute.

    The victim tried to mediate but was allegedly attacked by a group of four men, according to police.

    An initial investigation showed he was dragged out of the shop and attacked again. The four attackers fled before police officers arrived.

    Miao was found lying unconscious at the scene. He was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he was declared dead.

    Travel Industry Council Executive Director Joseph Tung Yao-chung said violence would damage Hong Kong’s reputation as a shopping paradise.

    “We have zero tolerance for such violence,” he said, pledging that the council — the industry’s regulatory body — would follow up on the case after police complete their investigation.

    He appealed to tourists, tour guides and group leaders to solve disputes through discussion instead of violence.

    (SD-Agencies)