Alleged Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew named as Yang Tengbo

The supposed Chinese spy connected to Prince Andrew and who established ties within the UK establishment has been identified as Yang Tengbo, a businessman referred to as Chris Yang.

Yang's name has been released after a judge removed the anonymity order that had previously kept their identity confidential on Monday afternoon.

In a recent statement, Yang expressed that he requested the removal of the order so that he could publicly refute the allegations against him. He emphasized that he is not a spy and maintained that he has “not engaged in any wrongdoing or illegal activities, and the concerns brought up by the Home Office regarding me are baseless.”

Yang, 50, who previously led the Hampton Group, a consulting agency, had lived in the UK for nearly twenty years. In 2021, he was approached by counter-terrorism agents who instructed him to hand over his electronic devices. Legal papers indicate that Yang divided his time between China and the UK, and he informed authorities that he viewed the UK as his second home.

In February 2023, Yang was removed from a flight traveling from Beijing to London and informed that the home secretary was reviewing his situation to potentially bar him from entering the UK. This decision was finalized the next month. Last week, his appeal against this ruling was denied by the special immigration appeals tribunal (Siac).

Last week, the Siac ruling revealed new information about Yang's strong connections to the Duke of York.

The entrepreneur often traveled to the UK for various events held at different royal residences, including Andrew's birthday celebration at his residence. During the hearing, it was revealed that Yang was prohibited from participating because authorities suspected he had connections to China’s united front work department, which focuses on collecting information about prominent individuals living outside of China. The decision noted that in his testimony, Yang had minimized his connections to this organization.

On Friday, Andrew's office announced that he had severed all ties with the man, whom he encountered through formal avenues, emphasizing that no private matters were ever addressed during their interactions.

Yang expressed in a statement that he was deeply upset about being barred from the UK and firmly denied ever acting against British interests. He mentioned that there was a significant amount of speculation and inaccurate reporting in the media and other places, and he was in the process of filing an appeal against the exclusion decision.

He mentioned that the judges’ ruling was “delicately poised” and that they recognized there might be an “innocent reason” for the situation, something he claimed the media failed to cover.

"The political landscape has shifted, and I regret to say that I have been affected by it. When the atmosphere is positive and there's a desire for Chinese investment, I'm welcomed in the UK. However, when tensions rise and an anti-China attitude emerges, I find myself sidelined," he expressed.

As a self-reliant entrepreneur, I have always focused on creating connections and facilitating collaboration between Eastern and Western regions. Throughout my career in the UK, I've worked to strengthen ties between British and Chinese companies. My efforts have contributed to attracting significant investments, amounting to hundreds of millions of pounds, into the UK.

"I have spent twenty years establishing my personal life in the UK, and I truly cherish it as my second home. I would never take any action that could jeopardize the well-being of the UK."

Court records indicate that the businessman had such a close relationship with Andrew that he was granted permission to represent him in a global financial project involving potential partners and investors in China.

In the ruling that confirmed his ban from the UK, the judge stated that Yang gained a notable, perhaps even rare, level of confidence from a high-ranking member of the royal family who was willing to engage in business dealings with him.

During the investigation of the businessman's phone, authorities found a letter dated March 2020 from Dominic Hampshire, a top adviser to Andrew. The letter mentioned that the businessman had been invited to the prince's birthday celebration that month, noting, "Apart from his nearest advisors, you are among the elite few that many others aspire to be part of."

The letter implied that the relationship might be somewhat private, stating: “We’ve figured out how to discreetly eliminate those individuals we aren’t entirely confident in… we’ve developed a method to move the right people in and out of the house in Windsor without drawing attention.”

A document discovered on Yang's phone included key talking points for a conversation with Andrew, noting that he was "in a dire predicament and willing to hold onto anything."

Guy Vassall-Adams KC, representing Yang, informed the high court that the pressure from Members of Parliament to disclose Yang's identity in parliament was one of the factors influencing his choice to seek the removal of the anonymity order.

"My client’s identity has been shared online, and there have been threats from different sources regarding the public disclosure of my client’s name in this area, using parliamentary privilege as a means. After considering these issues, my client has decided to make a public statement and is seeking to have the order from last Wednesday lifted."