British Officials Convicted of Spying for China

A British immigration officer and a trade official from Hong Kong based in London have been convicted of misusing Home Office systems to monitor dissidents in the UK on behalf of China.

Chee Leung “Peter” Wai, 40, a former Border Force officer, and Chong Biu “Bill” Yuen, 65, who previously led the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, have been involved in an extensive case raising alarm over China’s influence and its efforts to undermine democracy in the UK.

On Thursday, both men were found guilty of aiding a foreign intelligence agency under the National Security Act of 2023. Wai was also convicted of misusing Home Office systems during his time at the Border Force. They are scheduled to be sentenced at a future court date.

Their arrests occurred on May 1, 2024, alongside several others while attempting to access the residence of a Hong Kong woman. Eight of those detained were later released without charges. Another individual, former Royal Marine Matthew Trickett, was discovered deceased in a park in Maidenhead, Berkshire, shortly after, with an investigation into his death anticipated following the ongoing criminal case.

Wai, Trickett, and the woman’s ex-boss reportedly posed as maintenance workers to lure the woman into her home under the pretense of addressing a “water leak.” When there was no response, they entered the property themselves. They had already been under surveillance by anti-terrorism police prior to this event.

Commander Helen Flanagan, leading London’s counter-terrorism police, described Wai and Yuen’s actions as “sinister and appalling.” She noted that their activities focused on targeting pro-democracy advocates in the UK on behalf of the Hong Kong government. Flanagan emphasized that such actions on behalf of foreign powers in the UK are entirely unacceptable, adding that she hopes this verdict reassures those fearing foreign targeting.

The investigation, labeled “incredibly complex,” involved over 20 terabytes of data, including multilingual messages, which demonstrated the cooperation of Yuen and Wai with foreign interests. Evidence indicated that while heading the Hong Kong Trade Office, Yuen received directions from Hong Kong authorities to surveil UK pro-democracy activists, which he relayed to Wai and Trickett.

Wai had joined the Border Force at Heathrow Airport in December 2020, gaining access to extensive data on foreign nationals. As a dual national, he previously served in the British Police and Royal Navy. His position allowed him to exploit Home Office systems for surveillance tasks, even when he was off-duty or unwell, taking advantage of a work-from-home policy.

Alarmingly, reports suggest that there were no safeguards in the Home Office database to deter Wai’s illicit actions. This dual national reportedly referred to his pro-democracy targets as “cockroaches.” Following the convictions, the Foreign Office intends to summon the Chinese ambassador to the UK.

Commander Flanagan cautioned that anyone engaging in similar activities related to a foreign state could face investigation, arrest, and charges under national security laws, potentially leading to serious consequences, just as Wai and Yuen now face.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis affirmed the commitment to holding China accountable and directly opposing any actions that threaten public safety, vowing that violations of UK sovereignty will be met with strict consequences.