Hong Kong–mainland China relations , China–United Kingdom relations , Chinese intelligence activity abroad The Central Criminal Court in London , United Kingdom ...

Prosecutors in London say a former Hong Kong police officer and a U.K. Border official acted on behalf of the Chinese government as secret law enforcement or intelligence agents in Britain.

Prosecutors in London say a former Hong Kong police officer and a U.K.

Border official acted on behalf of the Chinese government as secret law enforcement or intelligence agents in Britain.

LONDON () — A former Hong Kong police officer and a U.K.

Border official acted on behalf of the Chinese government as secret law enforcement or intelligence agents in Britain, a prosecutor said Wednesday.

Bill Yuen, 65, and Peter Wai, 38, both dual Chinese and British nationals, are on trial on charges they violated the National Security Act by assisting a foreign spy service.

“The defendants engaged in shadow policing operations on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and thereby the People’s Republic of China,” prosecutor Duncan Atkinson said in London’s Central Criminal Court.

The two acted as if they were legitimate law enforcement to conduct surveillance and gather information about individuals Hong Kong deemed as “persons of interest,” such as pro-democracy supporters, Atkinson said.

Yuen was formerly a superintendent in the Hong Kong Police employed by the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office in London.

Border Force officer and was a special City of London constable and ran a private security company.

Prosecutors said Yuen’s work went beyond his job description as office manager of the Hong Kong trade office.

He allegedly helped gather intelligence for Hong Kong on pro-democracy activists and politicians who had moved to the U.K.

In recent years after authorities introduced a wide-ranging national security law in the Asian financial hub.

Yuen allegedly assigned tasks to Wai, who is accused of using police systems to gather information for his private work that was a cover for his spying.

The political importance lies in whether the issue moves from public comment into formal action, party response, court record, election authority notice or administrative decision.

For public institutions and political groups, the next test is whether the issue remains a public argument or turns into a formal response, legal proceeding, administrative instruction or election-related communication.