| Year ended December 31, | |||||||||||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |||||||||||
| Salaries and other short-term benefits | 2,476,506 | 1,369,524 | 1,878,963 | ||||||||||
| Defined contribution benefit schemes | 189,621 | 280,594 | 1,888,828 | ||||||||||
| Total employee benefits expense (including directors’ emoluments) | 2,666,127 | 1,650,118 | 3,767,791 | ||||||||||