HKETO spy row: Pro-Beijing party protests UK consulate as lawmakers urge trade office review

A pro-Beijing political party in Hong Kong has demonstrated outside the British consulate, protesting the recent jailing of two Chinese-Britons in the UK over a spying case. The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU) described the sentencing as "complete political manipulation and judicial fabrication, interfering with China’s internal policies and Hong Kong affairs."

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The British government should recognise the global trend and correct its path as soon as possible to avoid damaging the normal trade and personnel exchange between China and the UK.

Stanley Ng, HKFTU chair and a lawmaker, urged the British government to "recognize the global trend and correct its path" to avoid damaging trade and personnel exchanges between China and the UK. The protest specifically targeted the jailing of retired police officer Bill Yuen, a former manager at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in London, who received an eight-year sentence for assisting a foreign intelligence service.

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The jailing of Yuen was a “complete political manipulation and judicial fabrication, interfering with China’s internal policies and Hong Kong affairs,”

UK authorities accused Yuen and another defendant, former UK Border Force officer Peter Wai, of gathering intelligence on Hong Kong dissidents and pro-democracy activists in Britain, as well as UK politicians critical of Beijing. Wai received a 10-year sentence for the same charge and misconduct in public office. The demonstration, attended by about 30 FTU members, including lawmakers, occurred as a member of the UK House of Lords questioned the government's plans to protect Hongkongers from "transnational repression" and review HKETO operations.

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This trial has shown that anyone working to assist a foreign state to undermine our security will face the full force of the law.

In response, a UK Home Office minister stated that foreign attempts to intimidate or harm individuals in Britain would not be tolerated and that those undermining security would face the law. The foreign secretary has also communicated to the Chinese government and the HKETO that such activities are unacceptable and detrimental to bilateral relations.

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The foreign secretary [Yvette Cooper] has also made it clear to both the Chinese government and directly to the HKETO that these activities are unacceptable and clearly counterproductive to our relationship.