LONDON: A Chinese businessman with close links to Prince Andrew has denied allegations of being a spy after being named in court as a suspected Chinese agent by British authorities.
Yang Tengbo, described as a “close confidant” of Prince Andrew in a recent ruling by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), waived his right to anonymity on December 16 to respond to the accusations.
“I have done nothing wrong or unlawful, and the concerns raised by the Home Office against me are ill-founded,” Yang said through his lawyer, denying claims of espionage. “The widespread description of me as a ‘spy’ is entirely untrue.”
The British Home Office had earlier claimed in a July 2023 letter that Yang had engaged in “covert and deceptive activity” on behalf of the United Front Work Department (UFWD), an organization under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), leading to his ban from entering the UK. Officials expressed concerns that Yang posed a “threat to UK national security.”
Yang, 50, was removed from a flight from Beijing to London in February 2023 and was barred from re-entering the UK the following month. His appeal against the ban was dismissed on December 12, marking the first time his ties with Prince Andrew were publicly revealed.
According to SIAC’s ruling, Yang had reportedly been authorized by Prince Andrew to set up an international financial initiative aimed at engaging potential partners and investors in China. Details regarding the initiative’s specific purpose were not disclosed.
Prince Andrew, who is King Charles’ younger brother, issued a statement on December 13 affirming that he had “ceased all contact” with Yang once concerns were raised. Reuters sought further comment from Prince Andrew’s office but did not receive a response.
Responding to the accusations, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson rejected the claims, asserting that China had “never engaged in deception or interference” and labeled the speculation as “not worth refuting.” Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in London urged Britain to “stop anti-China political manipulation” and avoid disrupting “normal personnel exchanges” between the two nations.
The case has added to rising diplomatic tensions between the UK and China amid growing concerns about Chinese influence and espionage activities in the West.