Parliament investigates how 'Chinese spy' snuck through security

Finn Lau (left) and Christopher Moong, two pro-democracy activists with a bounty on their head, spoke at a parliamentary event last week Photo : James Manning/Pennsylvania.

The House of Commons is investigating an event last week that was allegedly attended by a Chinese 'spy'.

The man reportedly insisted he was a tourist when he tried to attend in an invitation-only talk on July 5, approached by campaigners in Hong Kong.

The alleged spy gave a name that was not on the approved list and did not say who he was According to the Daily Mail, the spokesman upon his arrival at the meeting, which took place at the Houses of Parliament.

Although no official announcement has been made, The The Telegraph understands that the parliamentary authorities are currently investigating this event.

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Dozens of participants were approached by Finn Lau and Christopher Mung, two democracy activists who have a bounty on their head after Hong Kong's leader John Lee said they would be persecuted for life.

One million. Authorities offered Hong Kong dollars, equivalent to about £100,000, in exchange for information that led to the arrest of Mr Lau, Mr Mung and six others who fled after alleged violations of Beijing's strict national security law. /p>'The risk of kidnapping has increased'

Mr Lau, founder of the Hong Kong activist groups Liberty and Stand with Hong Kong, demanded a meeting last week with James Cleverley, the foreign minister, and said he didn't feel safe about the generosity following «threats» from the Communist Party. Party of China (CCP).

«The risk of kidnapping and physical persecution has risen sharply over the past few days,» he told the PA News Agency.

In a newspaper article last week, Mr. Lau warned that the Hong Kong authorities «will go to great lengths to harass the large Hong Kong diaspora — to silence, shut down and cover up the truth.»

Bob Seeley, a Conservative MP on the Foreign Affairs Committee who organized the discussion, said it would be «completely inappropriate» for Beijing to «send an operative to intimidate or record people at a private parliamentary event.»

Benedict Rogers, executive director and co-founder of human rights group Hong Kong Watch, called the alleged surveillance attempt «terrible.»

«The idea of ​​our Hong Kong friends being watched and threatened, even in our parliament, is outrageous,» he tweeted.

Sources told The Telegraph that the alleged incident at the event was not formally reported to the House of Commons and dodged claims that parliamentary authorities were warned of security issues ahead of time.

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A House of Commons spokesman said: «The safety of all those who work and attend Parliament is our top priority, however we cannot comment on our security measures.»< /p>