The UK Foreign Office said in a statement that the diplomat had been told "in no uncertain terms" that "the recent pattern of Chinese behaviour towards the UK" was unacceptable. The statement said this included "cyber attacks, espionage-related activity and the offering of inducements" by Hong Kong police to arrest pro-democracy activists overseas. The ambassador was summoned after the Metropolitan Police on Monday charged three men with offences under the UK's National Security Law over their alleged assistance to Hong Kong's security services and foreign interference. Chi Leng (Peter) Wai, 38, Matthew Hedges Trickett, 37, and Chung Biu Yuen, 63, were charged following an investigation that involved a number of searches at addresses across the UK. The men are alleged to have carried out acts of "elicitation, surveillance and deception" likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between December 20, 2023 and May 2, the force said. A further hearing is due to take place at the Old Bailey on May 24. In a statement, Beijing "strongly condemned" the UK government for "fabricating charges, arbitrarily detaining Chinese citizens and smearing" the Hong Kong government. The chief executive of the former British colony, John Lee, also demanded the UK government explain its prosecution of Bill Yuen, the director of Hong Kong's Economic and Trade Office in London. Speaking at his weekly press conference, Mr Lee said the trade office in London was responsible for building connections with various sectors in the UK and promoting Hong Kong. "Any attempt to interfere with the work of the offices in different places will be against free trade and the free economy, and will harm the economy of the countries which try to do bad things to the operation of the offices," he said. Read More: Hong Kong pede a Londres justiça para suspeitos de interferência estrangeira (Portuguese version)