Britain announced the arrest of three spies, accusing them of espionage for authorities in Hong Kong, China. It has been strongly condemned by China.
According to reports, the three spies charged by the UK are all British nationals, including a British border guard officer, a British trade officer and a British immigration law enforcement investigator.
China strongly condemned the allegations, with the embassy in London stating it "strongly condemned" the "unfounded accusations" made by the British authorities against the Hong Kong government in China.
Previously, the British Home Office had ordered a review of the relevant suspected espionage personnel.
The accused Chinese-British man, Chi Leung Wai, 38, was a member of the British Border Force at Heathrow Airport and a volunteer with the City of London Police, who was accused of conducting surveillance and hostile reconnaissance services in Britain for the Hong Kong government.
Also charged is Matthew Trickett, a 37-year-old former Royal Marine who currently works as an immigration enforcement officer at the Home Office.
The third accused man is also of Chinese descent, Chung Biu Yuen, 63, a retired Hong Kong police officer who now works as a British trade officer.
In the first extraordinary espionage case of its kind, the defendant was accused of conducting surveillance operations in the UK on behalf of the Hong Kong authorities.
This is the first time anyone has been accused of spying on British territory for the Hong Kong government.
All three are charged with "hostile activities, including information gathering, hostile surveillance, deceptive behaviour and forced entry into a UK residential address".
The Chinese embassy in London told The Telegraph: "We strongly condemn the UK's groundless accusations against the Hong Kong SAR government. ”
British Security Secretary Tom Tugendhatt told The Telegraph that they "will not tolerate attempts to threaten, harass or silence the British people".
According to The Telegraph, the Home Office has ordered a review of the recruitment, vetting and supervision of border forces and immigration enforcement after the allegations came to light.
The newspaper reported that a source within the group said: "We take all cases of potential misconduct very seriously and always take immediate steps to ensure that risks are managed quickly." As is normal practice in such cases, we are reviewing our process. ”
The three men allegedly broke into a home in Ponteflakt, West Yorkshire, where one of their targets was located, on May 1 this year.
At a brief hearing at the Westminster Magistrates' Court on 12 May, none of the three accused pleaded a plea.
They are charged with allegedly assisting foreign intelligence agencies in their conduct between December 20, 2023, and May 2, 2024, which is consent to information gathering, surveillance, and deception.
The trio also face a second charge of foreign interference on May 1, 2024, for engaging in "prohibited conduct, i.e. forced entry into a UK residential address".
It can now be revealed that Chi Liangwei, a dual citizen of Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, lives in Stans, Surrey, and has posted photos of himself wearing a London police uniform on social media.
According to its website, he has more than 20 years of experience in the UK military, police, and private security.
His co-defendant, Trickett, 37, is from Maidenhead, Berkshire, and served as a Royal Marine between 2007 and 2013.
He worked for the British Border Force at Heathrow Airport and joined the Home Office's Immigration Enforcement Service on February 21 this year.
The third defendant, Chung Biaoyuan, lived in Dorston, east London, and worked as an office manager at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Bloomsbury, central London. Chung Biao Won, who wore casual corduroy pants and a gray jacket during the hearing, refused to explain the charges against him.
Neighbors said they were surprised by Chung's arrest.
One of them said: "I can't believe he's been arrested. He was an exemplary neighbor.
As part of the ongoing investigation, Scotland Yard Counter-Terrorism Command, with the support of colleagues from the North East and South East Counter Terrorism Police, has made a total of 11 arrests.
Counter-Terrorism Command Commander Dominic Murphy said: "As part of the investigation, a number of people were arrested and searched across the UK.
District Judge Louisa Cieciora granted bail to the three on the condition that they surrender all their international travel documents.
The next hearing will be held on May 24 in Old Bailey.