Media reports in Hong Kong have accused the British Government of stepping up spying activities in the Special Administrative Region since it was returned to China in 1997. The accusations have triggered a wave of claims and counter-claims and prompted some legislators to tell Britain to stay out of Hong Kong’s internal affairs.

Hong Kong has been talking about espionage activities once more, following the revelations of the Edward Snowden case.

This time, Hong Kong-based newspapers, Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Pao, have released reports that both retired and active spies from Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, serve in Hong Kong in the capacity of consuls or employees in economic and cultural departments and are headquartered at the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong.

When we made enquiries at the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong, they responded to CCTV News by saying they did not comment on intelligence matters. Hong Kong’s legislative council member Starry Lee Wai-King has said everything is possible.

The Ta Kung Pao Newspaper alleges MI6 possesses confidential information about top officials in Hong Kong. It claims the information was not destroyed upon handover in 1997 but was sent back to London. The paper claims it allows the British government to use these sensitive or embarrassing materials to undermine the officials.

Meanwhile, the Wen Wei Pao Newspaper claims undercover MI6 agents have infiltrated Hong Kong’s political parties, commerce chambers, media and key government departments.

The reports come shortly after an opinion piece by British Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire was published in the Hong Kong media, stating that Britain stands ready to support universal suffrage in Hong Kong any way they can.

Earlier, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Leung Chun Ying, also rejected British interference with election reform, saying it is Hong Kong’s own issue and Hong Kong has its own rule of law.