UK Court Convicts Two Men of Aiding Hong Kong Intelligence

A former Hong Kong police superintendent and a UK Border Force officer have been found guilty of violating Britain's National Security Act by conducting surveillance on Hong Kong pro-democracy activists and politicians.

The Verdict

A UK court has convicted Chung Biu (Bill) Yuen, 65, and Chi Leung (Peter) Wai, 40, of assisting a foreign intelligence service. Both men hold dual Chinese and UK citizenship.

Wai, a UK Border Force officer and volunteer police officer, was additionally convicted of misusing his position to access the interior ministry's computer system.

The Investigation

The court heard that the men conducted "shadow policing operations" for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, gathering information on Hong Kong pro-democracy activists and politicians for Hong Kong authorities and ultimately China.

Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson stated: "They wanted to know where they were, where they live, what they are doing, who they are associating with..."

Yuen, a former Hong Kong Police superintendent, was employed by the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office in London. Prosecutors said his activities exceeded his official role.

Wai was paid from a trade office account for his work, which included using police systems to gather information.

The Targets

Phone messages revealed the men surveilled former Hong Kong politician Nathan Law and referred to targets as "cockroaches."

Yuen instructed Wai to monitor UK politicians, specifically naming Iain Duncan Smith, a Conservative MP and co-chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, in 2023.

Other Developments

The jury could not reach a verdict on a separate count of forced entry into a home in northern England.

A third man, Matthew Trickett, 37, a former Royal Marine and immigration officer, was charged with the same offenses before his death, which was not considered suspicious.

Reactions

The Chinese Embassy in London accused Britain of fabricating the charges.

London has previously accused Beijing of espionage activities.

Broader Context

Tensions between the UK and China have risen following Hong Kong's national security crackdown and the 2019 pro-democracy protests.