The Chinese government has strongly denied accusations of espionage following the revelation that a Chinese businessman with close ties to Prince Andrew was banned from the UK on national security grounds, Bloomberg reports.
The businessman, identified only as “H6” due to a court order, was reportedly a business advisor to the Duke of York and barred entry in 2023.
“China’s actions have been above board and there is no such thing as deceitful actions or interference,” stated Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian at a press briefing in Beijing. He dismissed related reports as “baseless narratives” and declined to comment further.
The UK immigration appeals tribunal ruling, published last week, has fueled concerns about Chinese influence within British political circles. Reports suggesting H6 met with senior UK politicians have prompted threats from Members of Parliament to utilize parliamentary privilege to reveal his identity if the court-imposed anonymity is not lifted. This development adds further complexity to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s efforts to mend relations with China.
These concerns are amplified by a separate case involving two men who pleaded not guilty last week in a London court to charges of spying for Hong Kong’s intelligence service. This case, coupled with the H6 situation, underscores a heightened level of suspicion and anxiety regarding Chinese intelligence operations in the UK.
