The identity of Yang Tengboan alleged Chinese spy and former advisor to important British figures, has come to light after the lifting of an anonymity order by a judge this Monday.
Yang, a 50-year-old Chinese businessman, has been banned from entering the UK since March 2023 on national security grounds. MI5 accuses Yang, who worked with companies including GSK and McLaren, of collecting information for the Chinese government through the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) United Front Work Department.
Despite the accusations, Yang has strongly rejected the accusation, calling it “false.” In statements after the court decision, he stated: “The description of me as a ‘spy’ is completely unfounded. I am a victim of the change in the political climate between the UK and China”.
Yang built a network of contacts with prominent figures, including Prince Andrewthrough his company Hampton Group International, specialized in facilitating investments between China and the United Kingdom. According to the court, Yang occupied a position that could be used for “political interference” on behalf of the Chinese state, although the judges admitted that the evidence of his direct link to the United Front was inconclusive.
The case has generated strong political reactions. This Monday, Parliament debated the issue, with interventions led by Conservative MP Sir Iain Duncan Smithwho has been critical of the Chinese government.
Yang Tengbo, previously identified only as H6 in court documents, decided to reveal his name following what he described as “massive speculation and misinformation” in the media.
The case puts UK-China relations back under scrutiny, fueling a debate about the extent of the Chinese government’s influence in the West.
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