Mandelson’s firm's 'biggest client' allegedly linked to Chinese military
Global Counsel received £2.24 million from WuXi AppTec, a firm previously flagged in a withdrawn Pentagon document over potential security concerns.
Lord Mandelson’s lobbying firm’s single biggest client was a company alleged to have links to the Chinese military, according to a US Department of Defense document that was later withdrawn.
Listen to this article
Mandelson retained shares in Global Counsel last year while he was the UK ambassador to Washington. During that time, it received £2.24 million from WuXi AppTec, a Shanghai-listed life science firm.
The company, co-founded by the peer in 2010, counted WuXi as its biggest client by revenue, topping an internal list shared among senior executives.
WuXi AppTec was included in a proposed update to the Pentagon’s Section 1260H list of companies alleged to be aiding China’s military, according to Bloomberg, but the document was later withdrawn.
Read More: Truss has 'no sympathy for Starmer' over Mandelson vetting row while blasting Civil Service
Read More: Tice says errors ‘bound to happen’ after reports he failed to pay £100,000 tax
Claims about WuXi’s links to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and human rights abuses in Xinjiang long predated its work with Global Counsel, according to The Times.
In 2024, Ge Li, WuXi’s chair and chief executive, signed an open letter denying that the company posed a national security risk to any country.
“We strongly object to blanket allegations and preemptive actions against our company without due process,” the letter said.
Mandelson resigned from Global Counsel shortly before the 2024 general election and stood down as an adviser in December 2024, though he maintained a stake in the company.
He served as the UK ambassador to America from February 10 to September 11 last year.
Senior government sources say Mandelson's foreign links are to blame for the UK Security Vetting agency's decision to recommend against his appointment, rather than his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Sir Keir Starmer will justify his handling of the appointment in a parliamentary appearance on Monday.
In a statement, WuXi AppTec said it had been “incorrectly included” in a proposed update to a US Department of Defense list of Chinese military companies, which was later withdrawn. It said it “does not meet the statutory criteria” for such a designation and is “not owned or controlled by, or affiliated with, any PRC military or government entity”.