London (UK)

The British Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday (local time) that it had summoned China's ambassador following the conviction of two men by a London court for spying on behalf of the Chinese communist regime, according to a report by The Epoch Times (TET).

Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang was called to the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on May 8, where British officials formally reprimanded him, according to a statement from the UK government. The Foreign Office said it had clearly conveyed that "any attempts by foreign states to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities" within the UK would not be accepted, adding that such actions amount to "a serious breach of the UK's sovereignty." The office further stated, as cited by TET, that Britain would continue using "the full range of tools available" to safeguard national security and hold China accountable for actions that threaten the country's safety and democratic principles.

The move by the British government came a day after a jury convicted Wai Chi-leung and Yuen Chung-biu under the National Security Act 2023 for assisting a foreign intelligence agency, following a lengthy trial at London's Central Criminal Court. Wai, a former British immigration officer, was also found guilty of misconduct in public office for improperly accessing and misusing the UK Home Office's systems while serving with the British Border Force at Heathrow Airport. Prosecutors alleged that Wai conducted unauthorised database searches during off-duty hours and unlawfully shared personal information he had obtained.

Helen Flanagan, whose department led the investigation, described the activities of the two men as "both sinister and chilling." In a statement issued on May 7 after the convictions, Flanagan said investigators had uncovered evidence showing the pair were carrying out espionage activities for Hong Kong authorities and targeting pro-democracy activists based in the UK. According to TET, local media described the two dual Chinese-British nationals as the first individuals in British history to be convicted of spying for Beijing. They could face prison sentences of up to 14 years.

Investigators reportedly discovered that Yuen had maintained contact with individuals connected to the Hong Kong government while employed at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO). Authorities alleged that Yuen instructed Wai to conduct surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations against Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners residing in Britain. Prosecutors also stated that messages recovered from Yuen's phone suggested surveillance of Nathan Law had been underway since at least 2021.

The Chinese Embassy in Britain confirmed that Ambassador Zheng met with a British Foreign Office representative on May 8. According to a summary released by the Chinese side, Zheng objected to the London court's verdict and urged Britain to stop what he described as "anti-China political manipulation."

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The case has once again drawn attention to HKETO, a Hong Kong government office overseas originally established to strengthen trade ties between Britain and Hong Kong. Critics have long claimed that the office's privileges and resources were allegedly used for intelligence operations and for monitoring Hong Kong activists living abroad, according to the TET report.