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Jeffie Lam

Edith Lin

A diplomatic row has escalated over the conviction of two men linked to Hong Kong’s London trade office on spying charges, as Britain warned against attempts by foreign states to intimidate individuals on its soil and Beijing urged the country to stop “political manipulation” or risk “firm countermeasures”.
The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said on Saturday it had summoned Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang the previous day following the court verdict in the national security case.
But the embassy subsequently said Zheng requested the Friday meeting to make “solemn representations”.
Bill Yuen Chung-biu, manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, and Peter Wai Chi-leung, who ran a security firm, were found guilty on Thursday of assisting a foreign intelligence service.
Yuen, a retired Hong Kong police superintendent, was accused of passing surveillance requests from city authorities to Wai while working at the trade office.
Wai was also convicted of misconduct in public office. Evidence showed he used his position as a UK Border Force officer to obtain personal information on Hong Kong activists from official computer systems.
“It was made clear that the UK will not tolerate any attempts by foreign states to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK, and that such activity constitutes a serious breach of the UK’s sovereignty,” a spokesman for the Foreign Office said.
“We will continue to use the full range of tools available to protect our security and hold China to account for actions which undermine our safety and democratic values.”
But China’s embassy hit back on Sunday, saying Zheng had requested the meeting and made further representations over the verdict, which he described as “nothing but a political farce”.
“Its sole purpose is to embolden those anti-China elements who are hiding in the UK and bent on destabilising Hong Kong, and to smear the Chinese central government and the Hong Kong … government. We are strongly against it and deplore such an act,” it said.
“The UK side harbours wanted criminals and wantonly arrested and convicted Chinese citizens in the UK. This act disrespects the rule of law and seriously violated basic norms of international relations. It has gravely undermined China-UK relations. This is totally intolerable to the Chinese side.”
The embassy said the UK should correct its mistake and stop anti-China “political manipulation”, stressing that the UK must know any acts aimed at jeopardising the country’s interests would be met with “firm countermeasures”.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier described the charges as lacking a “factual basis” and accused the UK of “securing the conviction by abusing the law and judicial process”.
It condemned what it called a “typical political stunt” and said it had lodged serious protests with London.
The Hong Kong government also said the allegations were “absolutely” unrelated to the administration, adding that the office had been carrying out its duties in accordance with UK law.
Yuen and Wai, both dual Chinese-British nationals, were arrested two years ago along with a third suspect, former Royal Marine and Border Force officer Matthew Trickett, who was found dead 18 days after being released on bail.

During the trial, which began in early March, prosecutors said Yuen had received a list of British political figures – including Iain Duncan Smith, co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China – from a retired police officer. He was allegedly tasked with gathering information on their links to certain activists and whether they were “causing disturbances in Hong Kong”.
The court heard that Nathan Law Kwun-chung, one of 19 wanted fugitives with HK$1 million (US$127,720) bounties placed on their heads by Hong Kong police, was among the targets.
Yuen told the court he contacted Wai after the office was repeatedly targeted by protesters in 2021, saying support from the Metropolitan Police’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command was only occasional and inadequate.
However, Yuen denied that contracts later awarded to Wai involved carrying out surveillance for the office.
Wai told the court that after leaving the UK police in 2019, he was approached by a retired Hong Kong officer and instructed to follow Law and former lawmaker Ted Hui Chi-fung for a monthly fee of HK$50,000.
He said the work was for a documentary about overseas Hongkongers.
Yuen and Wai have been remanded in custody pending sentencing.


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Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang. Photo: Handout

Peter Wai (left) and Bill Yuen have been convicted of conducting “shadow policing” on British soil on behalf of China. Photo: Handout

Beijing hits out at UK over conviction of 2 men tied to Hong Kong trade office

The case has put the role of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices under the spotlight. Photo: Google Maps

According to the UK’s Metropolitan Police, an inquest into the death of the third suspect, Matthew Trickett, is expected after the conclusion of the current criminal proceedings. Photo: LinkedIn

Hong Kong’s economic and trade office in London. Photo: Google Maps

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Beijing disputes UK’s version of diplomatic meeting as ambassador warns of ‘firm countermeasures’ over ‘political manipulation’


Beijing disputes UK’s version of diplomatic meeting as ambassador warns of ‘firm countermeasures’ over ‘political manipulation’.


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Diplomatic row over Hong Kong-linked spying convictions in UK heats up

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Beijing disputes UK’s version of diplomatic meeting as ambassador warns of ‘firm countermeasures’ over ‘political manipulation’

Beijing disputes UK’s version of diplomatic meeting as ambassador warns of ‘firm countermeasures’ over ‘political manipulation’