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UK court sentences two Hongkongers tied to trade office for spying; China condemns ruling
A UK court sentenced two Hongkongers, Bill Yuen and Peter Wai, to eight and 10 years in prison, respectively, for spying on Hong Kong activists on behalf of Hong Kong authorities. The Chinese embassy in the UK condemned the sentencing, accusing Britain of abusing the legal system and suppressing Chinese citizens.
Quick Facts
Who
Bill Yuen Chung-biu
What
Yuen sentenced to 8 years for assisting a foreign intelligence service
When
Thursday (June 18, 2026)
Where
Old Bailey court, London
- Yuen sentenced to 8 years for assisting a foreign intelligence service
- Wai sentenced to 10 years for assisting a foreign intelligence service and misconduct in a public office
- Yuen passed surveillance requests from Hong Kong authorities to Wai
- Wai used UK Border Force position to obtain personal information on Hong Kong activists
- Chinese embassy condemned the sentencing as abuse of law
A British court on Thursday sentenced two men linked to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in London to up to 10 years in prison for spying on Hong Kong activists in the UK, prompting a strong condemnation from the Chinese embassy.
Bill Yuen Chung-biu, 65, a retired Hong Kong police superintendent who worked as an administrative manager at the HKETO, was sentenced to eight years in prison for assisting a foreign intelligence service. His co-defendant, Peter Wai Chi-leung, 40, a security firm operator and former part-time UK Border Force officer, received a 10-year sentence for the same charge and an additional count of misconduct in a public office.
The sentencing at the Old Bailey by Mrs Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb followed a morning of legal arguments, during which defense lawyers challenged prosecution claims that the men had betrayed their adopted country. According to court proceedings, Yuen passed surveillance requests from Hong Kong authorities to Wai, who then used his position as a Border Force officer to obtain personal information about Hong Kong activists from official computer systems.
The Chinese embassy in the UK strongly criticized the verdict, calling it "the result of the British side's abuse of the law and manipulation of judicial proceedings." A spokesman for the embassy said, "We strongly condemn the British side's actions," and urged the British government to "stop its acts of slander and suppression against Chinese citizens."
The case has strained diplomatic relations between the UK and China, with the British government viewing the actions as a security threat while Beijing dismisses the ruling as politically motivated. The sentencing marks the latest development in an ongoing dispute over foreign interference and the treatment of Hong Kong activists abroad.
Why This Matters
This ruling signals the UK's hardening stance against foreign intelligence operations on its soil, potentially triggering stricter scrutiny of all HKETO staff and Chinese-linked entities in Britain. For readers tracking Sino-British tensions, it underscores how espionage allegations are becoming a tool in diplomatic warfare, with direct implications for the safety of Hong Kong activists abroad and the operational freedom of overseas trade offices.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 18, 2026
WireUK court sentences Bill Yuen and Peter Wai for spying
Jun 19, 2026
WireChinese embassy condemns sentencing