Alleged Chinese spy case points to Xi Jinping's long-term strategy

16 December 2024, 17:47

It appears that the interference of Yang Tengbo, alleged Chinese spy and Prince Andrew’s assumed 'close confidant', in British politics is long-rooted.

Evidence was found on the 50-year-old Chinese finance professional’s phone introducing himself as an overseas figurehead for the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body central to the United Front Word Department(UFWD) system within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The UFWD is an organisation that monitors narratives and activities, both home and abroad, that could challenge the Party’s control. Everyone from students to politicians are observed.

While not an intelligence organisation by definition, theUFWD gathers information and passes it on to China’s formal espionage organs.

Abroad, the UFWD tracks prominent figures in government, academia, culture and technology, targeting the relevant persons who hold sway and can be swayed into promoting the views or interests of the CCP.

Prince Andrew was, therefore, a prime target. With a long history of disreputable business connections, evidence suggests that their friendship blossomed particularly from 2020, in the wake of his disgrace from Virginia Giuffre’s accusations at the end of 2019.

In relation to Yang, evidence submitted to British courts suggests that Prince Andrew was described as being in 'a desperate situation' and 'willing to grab onto anything'.

People who are hungry for status and money are vulnerable to espionage attempts, and this will be particularly true if they have recently fallen from public grace.

In such situations, flattery and considered manipulation is the perfect serum – of which the CCP is a master.

Documents reveal that Prince Andrew’s intended purpose was to boost Mr Yang’s influence as a conduit between senior Chinese officials, powerful businessmen, and British politicians.

After all, there are photographs of the alleged spy with David Cameron and former prime minister Theresa May from several years ago.

Xi Jinping has bolstered the function and budget of the UFWD since his presidency; a notable example is expanding the surveillance remit to overseas Chinese, whose actions and political views are increasingly monitored by the Party, as reported from Chinese students around the world, even as far away as Australia.

Sources say Prince Andrew first met Yang Tengbo in 2012 through ‘official channels’.

The timeline of this case proves that the Chinese intelligence apparatus executes decades-long projects and casts a ‘whole-of-state approach’ from students to world-famous royals - all whilst being happy to bide its time while the fruit of its labour grows.

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Grace Theodoulou is Policy Fellow, China Observatory, Council on Geostrategy.

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