Two men jailed at Old Bailey in landmark China spying case targeting Hong Kong dissidents

Two men have been jailed at the Old Bailey in what prosecutors described as a watershed moment for British counter-espionage, after a jury found they had carried out surveillance on Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners living in the United Kingdom on behalf of a foreign intelligence service.

Chi Leung "Peter" Wai, 41, was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, while Chung Biu "Bill" Yuen, 66, received eight years. Both were convicted of assisting a foreign intelligence service, an offence created under the National Security Act 2023. Wai was additionally convicted of misconduct in a public office relating to his work at the UK Border Force.

The pair are believed to be among the first people convicted in Britain of activity of this kind connected to the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, and the case has been closely watched by diaspora communities and by ministers monitoring foreign interference on British soil.

What the court heard

The jury was told that the men conducted unauthorised information-gathering and unlawful surveillance on individuals in the UK between December 2023 and May 2024. The targets were pro-democracy activists who had been protesting against the Hong Kong and Chinese governments.

Yuen had worked at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, while Wai held a role with the UK Border Force, a position prosecutors said gave the operation a particularly troubling dimension because it touched on access to official systems and information.

“This case demonstrates that those who choose to act as agents of a foreign state on British soil, intimidating people who have sought safety here, will face the full weight of the criminal law.”

A test for the National Security Act

The convictions are seen as an early and significant test of the National Security Act 2023, which overhauled the United Kingdom's espionage and foreign interference legislation and created new offences designed to capture activity that older laws struggled to address.

Security analysts have argued that transnational repression, where states pursue and intimidate dissidents who have fled abroad, has become one of the most pressing challenges for British policing and the intelligence services. The sentences are likely to be cited in future cases as the courts establish a tariff for the new offences.

Reaction from campaigners

Hong Kong activists in Britain welcomed the sentences, saying the prosecution sent a message that the UK would not tolerate the harassment of those who had sought sanctuary. Many had reported feeling watched and unsafe at protests and community events.

Campaign groups have repeatedly called on the government to do more to protect exiled communities, including improved guidance for victims who suspect they are being monitored and clearer routes to report suspected surveillance to the police.

• Wai, 41, was jailed for 10 years for assisting a foreign intelligence service and misconduct in a public office.
• Yuen, 66, was jailed for eight years for assisting a foreign intelligence service.
• The surveillance took place between December 2023 and May 2024.
• The targets were Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners living in the UK.
• The case is among the first of its kind brought under the National Security Act 2023.

Background

The National Security Act 2023 was introduced to modernise legislation dating back decades and to give prosecutors tools to confront state-backed activity that falls short of traditional spying. It created offences covering foreign interference, assisting a foreign intelligence service and sabotage, and was accompanied by a new foreign influence registration scheme.

The legislation was framed by ministers as a response to a changing threat landscape in which hostile states are accused of seeking to influence, intimidate and gather intelligence within the UK. The Old Bailey case has become an emblematic example of how the new powers are being applied in practice.

What happens next

The men have the right to seek leave to appeal against their convictions and sentences. Prosecutors and security officials are expected to study the judgment closely, and campaigners will be watching whether the outcome prompts the government to strengthen support for diaspora communities who fear they remain at risk.