An alleged Chinese spy who became a close confidant of Prince Andrew has been named as Tengbo Yang.
Yang’s identity can now be reported after an anonymity order was lifted at an urgent hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on Monday afternoon.
The alleged Chinese agent, known as H6 before his identity was revealed, forged links at the heart of the British establishment, including with the Duke of York.
The businessman, also known as Chris Yang, has been pictured with senior politicians including former prime ministers Lord David Cameron and Baroness Theresa May.
In a statement issued on his behalf, he said he had done “nothing wrong or unlawful” and descriptions of him as an alleged spy were “entirely untrue”.
The statement said he had voluntarily waived his right to anonymity.
Downing Street earlier would not say whether the prime minister or other ministers had also met with Yang, before his anonymity was lifted.
“I can’t comment on intelligence or security cases like this, it is a live legal case,” the prime minister’s spokesman told reporters.
An Urgent Question on the “extent of United Front Work Department operations in the UK” will take place in the House of Commons later on Monday afternoon, after former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith’s request was granted.
Sir Keir Starmer earlier admitted he had concerns about China but defended his approach to engaging with Beijing.
In November, he became the first British prime minister since 2018 to meet the Chinese president.
Speaking during a visit to Norway, he said: “In relation to any discussions with Buckingham Palace there’s a long-standing convention in the United Kingdom that that’s never spoken about.
“But of course we are concerned about the challenge that China poses.”
Sir Keir added: “Our approach [with China] is one of engagement, of co-operating where we need to co-operate, particularly on issues like climate change, to challenge where we must and where we should, particularly on issues like human rights and to compete when it comes to trade.
“That’s the strategic approach that we have set out as a UK Government.”
Government minister Jim McMahon admitted it was a concern that H6 had been able to “slip through the net”.
Yang was first excluded from Britain by then-home secretary Suella Braverman in 2023, when the Home Office said he was believed to have carried out “covert and deceptive activity” for the Chinese Communist Party.
Judges at a specialist tribunal in London last week ruled Mrs Braverman had been “entitled to conclude” that he “represented a risk to the national security” after he launched an appeal against the decision.
The businessman had brought a case to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) after his initial exclusion in 2023 but his appeal was dismissed.
At a hearing in July, the tribunal was told an adviser to Andrew said he could act on the duke’s behalf when dealing with potential investors in China, and that Yang had been invited to the duke’s birthday party in 2020.
A letter referencing the event from the aide, Dominic Hampshire, was discovered on Yang’s devices when he was stopped at a port in November 2021.
The letter also said: “You should never underestimate the strength of that relationship … Outside of his closest internal confidants, you sit at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on.”
Yang was later informed that he was believed by UK authorities to be connected to the UFWD, which is tasked with conducting influence campaigns.
Prince Andrew’s office said he ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised.
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