China has denounced the United Kingdom’s conviction of a former Hong Kong policeman for spying on dissidents at Beijing’s behest, an embassy statement said, slamming the verdict as a “political move”.
The conviction of Chung Biu Yuen “is nothing but a political move of abusing the law and manipulating the judicial process by the UK side”, said a statement on Thursday by an unnamed spokesperson.
The “sole purpose” of the decision is to “embolden those anti-China elements who are hiding in the UK and bent on destabilising Hong Kong, and to smear the Chinese government”, the statement added, calling it a “so-called verdict”.
Yuen, also known by the given name Bill, was one of two individuals found guilty by a London jury on Thursday of assisting a foreign intelligence service following a weeks-long trial.
The case exposed how ex-police superintendent Yuen, 65, and 40-year-old Peter Wai conducted “shadow policing” operations on British soil targeting Hong Kong dissidents and exiled pro-democracy protestors.
“We deplore (the conviction of Yuen) and have made solemn representations with the UK side,” the Chinese embassy statement said, calling on London to “immediately stop the anti-China political manipulation”.
The statement warned that China will “take necessary measures to firmly safeguard (its) interests”.
AFP
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