A Chinese spy network operating on British soil has led to the conviction of two men, including a UK Border Force officer, for surveilling dissidents and supportive MPs. Peter Wai, 40, and Bill Yuen, 66, both dual Chinese-British nationals, stand guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service in a landmark case under the National Security Act 2023.
Details of the Shadow Policing Operation
Peter Wai, employed by the UK Border Force and volunteering as a City of London special constable, accessed Home Office databases to gather intelligence on pro-democracy activists and politicians. Bill Yuen, a retired Hong Kong police superintendent and manager at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, directed the efforts and paid Wai nearly £100,000 through office accounts to a network of subcontractors.
The operation targeted figures such as pro-democracy activist Nathan Law and Conservative MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith. Prosecutors described it as part of Operation Fox Hunt, China’s campaign to repatriate individuals for persecution. The pair potentially misused systems as early as 2018 to obtain names, addresses, and personal details.
Trial and Verdict at the Old Bailey
During a two-month trial, Duncan Atkinson KC, for the prosecution, stated the defendants conducted ‘shadow policing operations… acting as if they were entitled, in this country, to act as a law enforcement or state intelligence service, when no such entitlement existed.’ Arrested on May 1, 2024, after MI5 surveillance, both denied the charges.
A jury convicted them by a 10-2 majority on assisting a foreign intelligence service. Wai also faces a guilty verdict for misconduct in public office. The jury could not agree on foreign interference charges, and prosecutors will not seek a retrial. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date.
Official and Political Reactions
Bethan David, head of counter-terrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service, declared the convictions send ‘a clear message that transnational repression, foreign interference, unauthorised surveillance, and attempts to operate outside the law will not be tolerated on British soil.’
Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, part of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, warned the verdict ‘will mean nothing if this Government continues to appease Beijing.’ Sir Iain Duncan Smith called it ‘merely the tip of the iceberg’ of Chinese espionage, urging action against threats to dissidents, especially amid plans for a new Chinese embassy near the Tower of London.
Dr. John Hemmings, director of the National Security Centre at The Henry Jackson Society, emphasized the need to reassess Britain’s approach to Beijing’s activities and designate China as a high security threat alongside Russia and Iran. Security Minister Dan Jarvis announced he will summon the Chinese ambassador to affirm such actions remain unacceptable on UK soil.
