China tells UK to 'stop spreading lies' as its ambassador is summoned to Foreign Office after three men including a Border Force officer and ex-Royal Marine were charged with spying for Hong Kong

China reacted with fury last night after its ambassador was summoned to a meeting by Lord Cameron following three men being charged with spying for Hong Kong.

Zheng Zeguang met with senior officials at the Foreign Office after China's London embassy furiously described the spy charges as a 'fabrication' and an 'unwarranted accusation'.

Chi Leung Wai, 38, a UK border force officer, Matthew Trickett, 37, a former Royal Marine and Chung Biu Yuen, 63, a trade official, were charged with foreign interference and assisting a foreign intelligence service on Monday.

The trio are accused of carrying out surveillance and hostile reconnaissance on pro-democracy activists in the UK for Hong Kong intelligence.

Yesterday a Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said: 'The FCDO was unequivocal in setting out that the recent pattern of behaviour directed by China against the UK including cyber attacks, reports of espionage links and the issuing of bounties is not acceptable.

'The foreign intelligence service to which the charges relate is that of the Hong Kong special administrative region.' 

Foreign affairs committee chairman Alicia Kearns welcomed the summoning of the Chinese ambassador by the Foreign Secretary.

She said: 'This is a relief to hear and long overdue. Hostile interference on UK soil is a serious issue for which we should have zero tolerance.'

But China immediately hit back issuing a statement saying: 'Ambassador Zheng urged the UK side to immediately correct its wrongdoing, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, stop spreading lies about so-called 'China threat', stop its provocations against China and stop its arbitrary law enforcement against Chinese citizens in the UK.'