A top British diplomat has become a hero in China. This comes after a video of the British diplomat rescuing a student from a swollen river racked up tens of millions of views on social media. On November 16, Britain's mission in Chongqing said that Consul General Stephen Ellison leapt into action in nearby Zhongshan at the weekend to save a woman who had fallen into a river coursing through the tourist town. "Due to the timely rescue, the woman quickly recovered her breathing and consciousness," read the post on the consulate's official Weibo page. Ellison, 61, was visiting the town on November 14 when he heard a cry from a crowd of people as the woman fell into the water. Bystander video footage shared by the consulate and various Chinese media outlets show Ellison, 61, jump fully clothed into the river, where the unnamed woman was struggling to stay afloat. UK-China ties have been strained this year over the UK's decision to ban Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from its 5G networks, as well as the UK's frequent criticisms of China's human rights record on issues including Hong Kong and Xinjiang.