Transnational Repression of Hong Kongers in the UK Is Disturbingly Common

Two British-Chinese dual nationals were convicted of espionage on May 7, 2026, for operating a “shadow policing” ring that targeted Hong Kong dissidents within the United Kingdom. Peter Wai and Bill Yuen were found guilty at the Old Bailey in London of coordinating surveillance and attempted illegal actions against pro-democracy activists. The operation was conducted through the professional positions held by the two men. Bill Yuen worked at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO), while Peter Wai served as an immigration official within the U.K. Home Office. According to reporting from The Diplomat, the pair used Wai’s contacts and his access to sensitive information from the Home Office to surveille pro-democracy Hong Konger activists. Illegal Seizure and Surveillance Operations Beyond surveillance, the convicted men attempted to launch an operation to illegally seize a woman suspected of fraud and return her to China. The Diplomat reported that this attempt was carried out in the style of China’s Operation Fox Hunt. The successful prosecution of Wai and Yuen has been viewed as vindication by exiled pro-democracy activists in the United Kingdom, who have expressed long-standing concerns regarding the transnational reach of the Hong Kong government. Bounties and Targeted Harassment The espionage convictions occur within a broader pattern of pressure applied to exiled activists. Since 2022, Hong Kong authorities have pursued individuals living abroad to silence them or persuade them to return to Hong Kong to face prosecution. As part of these efforts, the Hong Kong government has issued bounties targeting activists residing in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia. These bounties are divided into two tiers:

Among those targeted was Chloe Cheung, who was 19 years old at the time the bounty was issued. The issuance of these bounties has been accompanied by violence and harassment. In several incidents, “wanted” posters and sexualized fake images were distributed in the neighborhoods of targeted individuals. Those affected include Carmen Lau and Tony Chung in the United Kingdom, as well as former LegCo politician Ted Hui in Australia. Scale of Transnational Repression The impact of these activities extends beyond those actively engaged in public political movements. New survey data from Hong Kong Watch has been used to quantify the scale of transnational repression, indicating that the problem is common among the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK, including individuals who are not involved in public activism. The findings suggest that thousands of Hong Kongers in the United Kingdom are threatened by transnational repression, including the infiltration of community groups and events by hostile actors working on behalf of a foreign government.