UK court convicts and jails two men for spying for Hong Kong and China
Two dual Chinese-British nationals have been jailed in the United Kingdom after being convicted of spying on pro-democracy dissidents living in Britain. The case was heard at London's Old Bailey and is being described as the first conviction in Britain for spying for China. The men were sentenced on Thursday after a verdict last month.
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Chung Biu "Bill" Yuen, 66, was jailed for eight years, while Chi Leung "Peter" Wai, 41, received a 10-year sentence. The court heard that the pair carried out surveillance on targets between December 2023 and May 2024 on behalf of Hong Kong and ultimately China. Wai, who worked for the UK Border Force, was also convicted of misusing his job to search an interior ministry computer database for details about targets.
The judge, Bobbie Cheema-Grubb, said the UK faced persistent and often clandestine interference by foreign state actors and those acting on their behalf. Commander Helen Flanagan, who heads counter-terrorism policing in London, said the activity was "truly chilling" and involved targeting people in the UK who were pro-democracy campaigners. The men had denied the accusations, while the Chinese embassy in London said the case was "nothing but a political move of abusing the law".
The case is significant because it places alleged foreign intelligence activity against dissidents in Britain into a criminal court setting, rather than treating it only as a diplomatic or security concern. It also adds to wider concerns in the UK about covert pressure on people linked to Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. The court's findings suggest the alleged activity was not limited to gathering information, but extended to surveillance and intimidation.
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The proceedings also underline the role of state databases and official access in modern espionage cases. Wai's conviction for misusing his Border Force position to search for information about targets points to the risks posed when public-sector access is used for private or foreign-directed purposes. The men were arrested after a failed attempt to snatch a former Hong Kong resident, Monica Kwong, from her flat in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, on 1 May 2024.
What remains unclear from the court account is the full extent of any wider network, and whether other people may have been involved in the surveillance operation. The sentencing closes one stage of the case, but it may continue to shape debate over foreign interference, protection for dissidents, and the security of official systems in the UK. The next developments to watch are any further legal steps and any response from UK authorities on whether the case leads to broader investigations.
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