'Chinese spy' linked to Prince Andrew named as he insists claims are 'entirely untrue'
16 December 2024, 14:16 | Updated: 16 December 2024, 15:13
An alleged Chinese spy with close links to Prince Andrew has been named for the first time after a High Court judge lifted an anonymity order.
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The alleged spy, who can now be named as Yang Tengbo, has been linked to the Duke of York in recent days.
Until now, the 'spy' has only be known publicly as "H6" after a court imposed an anonymity order.
Mr Tengbo was banned from Britain by the Government on national security grounds, having visited Buckingham Palace twice during his stint in the UK.
In a statement following his request to lift of the anonymity order, Mr Tengbo insisted he has done "nothing wrong or unlawful".
He added that the "widespread description of me as a 'spy' is entirely untrue".
The royal has attempted to distance himself from Mr Tengbo after the ties emerged, with the 'spy' said to have become a "close confidant" of the disgraced Duke.
He is also said to have entered St James's Palace and Windsor Castle at the invitation of Prince Andrew, as previously reported by The Times.
On Monday afternoon, a judge at the Royal Courts of Justice was asked to review whether the suspect could be named.
It follows mounting pressure from MPs, with the likes of Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, threatening to use parliamentary privilege to reveal Mr Tengbo's identity.
The rule gives MPs certain legal immunities over what they say in the Commons - with Mr Farage also threatening to use this power to reveal who the businessman is in the house.
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On Saturday, it was revealed that H6 - the name given to Mr Tengbo due to security laws - also met Theresa May and David Cameron, according to Sky News and The Sunday Times.
There is no suggestion that either of the politicians knew the individual had links to the Chinese state.
The Chinese national, who began using the anglicised name of Chris Yang, formed a core part in the organisation of the first UK-China Business Leaders’ Summit.
It was an event where the 'spy' was seen alongside George Osborne, the then chancellor.
In a statement following the ruling, Mr Tengbo said: "Due to the high level of speculation and misreporting in the media and elsewhere, I have asked my legal team to disclose my identity.
"I have done nothing wrong or unlawful and the concerns raised by the Home Office against me are ill-founded. The widespread description of me as a 'spy' is entirely untrue," Mr Tengbo continued.
"This is why I applied for a review of the Home Office decision in the first place, and why I am seeking permission to appeal the SIAC decision. It is also why an order extending my anonymity up to the point of determination of the appeal process was granted," Mr Tengbo continued in his statement, released on Monday.
"I have been excluded from seeing most of the evidence that was used against me under a process which is widely acknowledged by SIAC practitioners as inherently unfair: decisions are made based on secret evidence and closed proceedings, which has been described as 'taking blind shots at a hidden target'.
"On their own fact finding, even the three judges in this case concluded that there was 'not an abundance of evidence' against me, their decision was 'finely balanced', and there could be an 'innocent explanation' for my activities. This has not been reported in the media.
"The political climate has changed, and unfortunately, I have fallen victim to this. When relations are good, and Chinese investment is sought, I am welcome in the UK. When relations sour, an anti-China stance is taken, and I am excluded.
"I am an independent self-made entrepreneur and I have always aimed to foster partnerships and build bridges between East and West. I have dedicated my professional life in the UK to building links between British and Chinese businesses. My activities have played a part in bringing hundreds of millions of pounds of investment into the UK.
"I built my private life in the UK over two decades and love the country as my second home. I would never do anything to harm the interests of the UK."
It comes as the Duke of York was reportedly told to "uninvite himself" from the Royals pre-Christmas bash at Buckingham Palace this Thursday following news of his association to the individual.
