Two British-Chinese nationals have been sentenced to eight and ten years in prison by a UK court for spying on behalf of China.
Bill Yuen, a former senior officer in Hong Kong’s police force, received an eight-year sentence, while Peter Wai, aged 38, was sentenced to ten years after being found guilty in May of conducting covert operations for Hong Kong and Chinese authorities. Their trial lasted several months at the Old Bailey in London.
Yuen had worked at the Hong Kong government trade office in London following his retirement from the police.
Wai collected information on various individuals, including critics of Hong Kong authorities living in the UK, and British politicians like Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith, a staunch critic of Beijing.
The pair were arrested in May 2024, triggering heightened tensions between London and Beijing. The then Conservative government summoned China’s ambassador, calling the men's actions “unacceptable.”
While the current Labour government has sought to mend relations with Beijing, it too summoned the Chinese ambassador after Yuen and Wai were found guilty.
In response, the Chinese Embassy criticised the UK for engaging in “anti-Chinese manoeuvres.”
