A London court has found two men guilty of conducting espionage operations in the United Kingdom on behalf of Hong Kong authorities and, ultimately, China, in a case that has intensified
concerns over Beijing’s activities targeting dissidents abroad.
Chung Biu “Bill” Yuen, 65, and Chi Leung “Peter” Wai, 40, were convicted at London’s Old Bailey of assisting a foreign intelligence service by carrying out surveillance on pro-democracy activists between December 2023 and May 2024. Wai, a UK Border Force officer, was also found guilty of abusing his position to access sensitive government data.
The pair, both dual British and Chinese nationals, denied the allegations throughout the trial. China’s embassy in London dismissed the case as politically motivated and accused British authorities of fabricating the charges.
British media described the convictions as the first successful prosecution in the UK involving espionage on behalf of China. The two men are due to be sentenced later and could each face up to 14 years in prison.
Prosecutors said the operation focused on Hong Kong dissidents who had relocated to Britain following Beijing’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests in the former British colony. Among those allegedly targeted was activist Nathan Law, who is wanted by Hong Kong authorities with a bounty of HK$1 million for information leading to his arrest.
According to prosecutor Duncan Atkinson, the men were involved in “shadow policing operations” directed by Hong Kong officials. Evidence presented in court included messages discussing surveillance plans against activists, some of whom were referred to as “cockroaches,” as well as monitoring British political figures.
Yuen, a retired Hong Kong police officer, had worked at Hong Kong’s Economic and Trade Office in London. Wai served both in the UK Border Force and as a volunteer officer with the City of London Police.
Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on a separate charge accusing the pair of foreign interference linked to an attempted forced entry into a home in northern England on behalf of Hong Kong authorities.
The case comes amid growing tensions between Britain and China over security concerns and allegations of foreign interference. Relations between the two countries have remained strained since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong following the 2019 pro-democracy protests.
Following the verdict, UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis said Britain would continue to challenge China over actions that threaten national security. He added that the Chinese ambassador would be summoned to underline that such activity was “unacceptable on UK soil.”
“For years, members of the Hong Kong diaspora in the United Kingdom have lived in fear,” activist Finn Lau said after the ruling. “Today’s conviction confirms that fear was not paranoia. It was real.”
The trial also drew attention to a third defendant, Matthew Trickett, a former Royal Marine and immigration officer, who was charged alongside Yuen and Wai before being found dead last year. Authorities said his death was not considered suspicious.
The convictions arrive at a delicate moment in UK-China relations. Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited China earlier this year in an effort to stabilise ties, but recurring allegations of espionage and political interference continue to complicate diplomatic relations between the two countries. Photo by It's No Game, Wikimedia commons.
