British police on Monday (May 13) announced that they have charged three men under the National Security Law. The three individuals are accused of assisting the Hong Kong intelligence agency and engaging in foreign interference activities. They are scheduled to appear later on Monday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The individuals involved in the case were identified as 38-year-old Chi Leung Wai (also known as Peter Wai), 63-year-old Chung Biu Yuen, and 37-year-old Matthew Trickett. They are facing charges of aiding foreign intelligence agencies and foreign interference.
Last year, the UK government passed a new National Security Law granting additional powers to the police to combat foreign espionage activities. The government stated that this legislation is necessary to address the “constantly evolving” threats of foreign interference and hostile activities against British democracy, economy, and values.
Counterterrorism police arrested eleven individuals on May 1 and 2 in Yorkshire and London, including the aforementioned three men, under the new National Security Law. This new law allows UK authorities to detain suspects involved in national security and espionage cases without a warrant. The other eight suspects (seven men and one woman) were released without charges by May 10.
Dominic Murphy, the head of the Counterterrorism Command of the London police, stated in a release on Monday, “As part of this investigation, we have carried out a series of arrests and searches across England.”
“While these crimes are concerning, I want to assure the public that we do not believe they are facing any wider threat,” Murphy said. “The investigation is ongoing, and with charges now brought, I urge people not to speculate or comment further on the case.”
The charges against these three individuals come as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak prepares to deliver a speech on Monday. Sunak is expected to emphasize the increasingly dangerous future faced by the UK due to threats from authoritarian regimes such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Tensions between China and the UK escalated last year when a parliamentary researcher was arrested for alleged espionage on behalf of the Chinese government. China denounced the arrest as “malicious slander,” further straining relations between the two countries.
The deteriorating relationship between China and the UK is also attributed to China reneging on its commitments and eroding the freedoms and autonomy of the people of Hong Kong. A report released on April 15 assessing Hong Kong in the second half of 2023 by the UK Foreign Office condemned Beijing for implementing the National Security Law in Hong Kong, which led to the elimination of political opposition, dissenters being criminalized, and the marginalization of civil society.
“We will not tolerate any foreign powers attempting to intimidate, harass, or harm individuals within the UK. The National Security Law of China does not have effect in the UK. We have no effective extradition agreements with Hong Kong or China. I want to assure our esteemed Hong Kong community in the UK: you are safe here,” wrote UK Foreign Secretary Cameron in the foreword of the report.
In October 2023, Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, made a rare appearance to issue a warning about rampant Chinese espionage activities in the UK. He revealed that Chinese spies had covertly contacted over 20,000 British individuals online.