Who is the accused Chinese spy with links to Prince Andrew?

A Chinese spy, accused of having close ties to Prince Andrew, has stated that he "has not done anything wrong or illegal." Meanwhile, the British government is facing scrutiny over how it is addressing security threats from China. UK authorities have accused businessman Yang Tengbo, previously referred to only as "H6" before a High Court judge lifted an anonymity order, of working for the Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department, which aims to influence foreign entities.

This is the most prominent case in a series of spy scandals in recent years involving suspected or confirmed Chinese intelligence gathering activities within British institutions, including Parliament. Yang Tengbo, 50, also known as Chris Yang, is listed as a director of Hampton International Group, a business consultancy that advises British companies operating in China. He has been photographed with senior British politicians, including former Prime Ministers David Cameron and Theresa May.

Yang was reportedly a key member of Prince Andrew’s "Dragon Gate" China project, which supported entrepreneurs. Yang worked in China's junior civil service before arriving in the UK to study in 2002. He obtained a master's degree in public administration and public policy from the University of York before starting his own business. He was granted indefinite leave to remain and work in the UK in 2013. Yang told authorities that he spends a lot of time in the UK and considers it his second home.

Details of Yang's case emerged last week in a special immigration tribunal that upheld the UK authorities’ decision to ban Yang from entering the UK in 2023. The Home Office stated that he is believed to have engaged in "covert and deceptive activities" for the Chinese Communist Party. The judge agreed with the UK's domestic intelligence agency, MI5, that Yang "posed a risk to national security" and dismissed his appeal. The tribunal heard that in 2021, documents were discovered that indicated Yang had close ties to Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III.

A senior advisor to Andrew wrote in a letter to Yang that he should never underestimate the "power" of his relationship with the royal. The advisor wrote, "You are, apart from his closest inner circle, at the top of the tree that many people would like to climb." The tribunal stated that when Yang was questioned by immigration authorities, he failed to fully explain his relationship with the Prince, which the tribunal deemed had an element of "concealment and secrecy." Authorities have not publicly revealed what information Yang allegedly obtained or attempted to obtain.

However, the tribunal cited a statement made in 2022 by the director of MI5 that described the United Front Work Department's aim to buy and exert influence, amplify pro-China voices, and suppress criticism of the Chinese government's authority. Prince Andrew has been repeatedly criticized for his connections with wealthy foreigners, which critics argue are attempts to buy access to the royal family.

Yang has strongly denied the espionage allegations, stating that he is a victim of the changing political climate amid rising tensions between the UK and China. "I have not done anything wrong or illegal," he said in a statement. "The broad characterization of me as a ‘spy’ is completely untrue." Prince Andrew’s office stated that the Prince met Yang through "official channels" and never discussed anything sensitive.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he is concerned about the challenge posed by China, but he insists on the government's strategy of engaging and cooperating with Beijing. Starmer, who took office this summer, has sought to repair strained relations and in November became the first British leader since 2018 to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Opposition MP Ian Duncan Smith, a leading critic of Beijing, said that this masked the clear threat posed by China. He told Parliament that Yang was already a known member of the Chinese United Front Work Department and should not have been allowed access to the royal family without scrutiny.

He said: "The fact is there are more people involved in this espionage that is going on." In 2022, British intelligence officials warned politicians that Christine Lee, a British-Chinese lawyer, had been trying to improperly influence MPs for years. A parliamentary researcher was arrested in 2023 on suspicion of providing sensitive information to China.