NEW DELHI: A day after three people were charged in the latest Beijing-linked alleged espionage case, the UK government on Tuesday said it had summoned the Chinese envoy Zheng Zeguang over ‘interference‘.
A spokesperson said that the foreign ministry was “unequivocal in setting out that the recent pattern of behaviour directed by China against the UK, including cyber-attacks, reports of espionage links and the issuing of bounties, is not acceptable”.
The ministry said that the summons followed Monday’s announcement that three people had been charged with assisting Hong Kong’s intelligence service.
Chi Leung Wai, 38, Matthew Trickett, 37, and Chung Biu Yuen, 63, all from southeast England, were released on bail.
The Hong Kong government said in a statement that one of the three men charged was the manager of its trade office in London.
China’s foreign affairs commissioner in its territory of Hong Kong “strongly condemned” the UK for “cooking up charges” and accused it of a “vicious intention to interfere” in Hong Kong’s affairs.
The office warned that Britain would receive “China’s firm and strong retaliation”.
The UK has been outspoken about the Hong Kong government’s new national security law, which it views as eroding the territory’s rights and freedoms.
It has repeatedly denounced the treatment of pro-democracy campaigners in the former British colony, and launched a visa scheme to allow Hong Kong residents to come to the UK.
As a result, it has become a refuge for dissidents, including prominent pro-democracy politician Nathan Law.
A spokesperson said that the foreign ministry was “unequivocal in setting out that the recent pattern of behaviour directed by China against the UK, including cyber-attacks, reports of espionage links and the issuing of bounties, is not acceptable”.
The ministry said that the summons followed Monday’s announcement that three people had been charged with assisting Hong Kong’s intelligence service.
Chi Leung Wai, 38, Matthew Trickett, 37, and Chung Biu Yuen, 63, all from southeast England, were released on bail.
The Hong Kong government said in a statement that one of the three men charged was the manager of its trade office in London.
China’s foreign affairs commissioner in its territory of Hong Kong “strongly condemned” the UK for “cooking up charges” and accused it of a “vicious intention to interfere” in Hong Kong’s affairs.
The office warned that Britain would receive “China’s firm and strong retaliation”.
The UK has been outspoken about the Hong Kong government’s new national security law, which it views as eroding the territory’s rights and freedoms.
It has repeatedly denounced the treatment of pro-democracy campaigners in the former British colony, and launched a visa scheme to allow Hong Kong residents to come to the UK.
As a result, it has become a refuge for dissidents, including prominent pro-democracy politician Nathan Law.