How did a junior Chinese language civil servant who arrived in Britain to do a grasp’s diploma at York College find yourself as such an in depth confidant of the Duke of York that he was described as “the very prime of the tree” by the prince’s adviser?
Yang Tengbo, 50, also called Christopher Yang, was capable of transfer within the highest circles of the British institution. He was invited to Prince Andrew’s sixtieth celebration at Royal Lodge, in Windsor, joined visits to St James’s Palace and Windsor Fortress, attended a Chinese language new 12 months celebration at Downing Road with David Cameron and was pictured in black tie alongside Theresa Could and her husband, Philip.
Yang was the chair of Hampton Group, a strategic advisory group that mentioned it may advise UK firms on their affairs in China, with workplaces behind the Ritz resort in London’s Mayfair.
He was additionally a senior member of the committee of Pitch@Palace in China, the duke’s Dragons’ Den-style initiative, which supplied alternatives for entrepreneurs to satisfy buyers.
Yang was filmed for a Chinese language tv documentary by which he confirmed pictures of himself alongside Cameron and Could, displayed prominently on his desk.
He seems to have held senior positions in UK-China enterprise teams, was described because the govt chair of the China Enterprise Council within the UK, and was an honorary member of a Sino-British enterprise affiliation, the 48 Group Membership, which had numerous outstanding UK figures as members.
In line with court docket paperwork, the businessman was so near the Duke of York, he was authorised to behave on his behalf in a world monetary initiative with potential companions and buyers in China.
Investigators uncovered fawning letters from one in all Prince Andrew’s advisers and a briefing word linked to the Chinese language embassy which described the duke as “determined”.
Within the judgment, rejecting his enchantment in opposition to the choice to exclude him, the choose discovered he “gained a big diploma, one may say an uncommon diploma, of belief from a senior member of the royal household who was ready to enter into enterprise actions with him.
“That occurred in a context the place, because the contemporaneous paperwork document, the duke was below appreciable strain and could possibly be anticipated to worth the applicant’s loyal assist. It’s apparent that the pressures on the duke may make him susceptible to the misuse of that form of affect.”
A press release from his workplace mentioned: “The duke met the person by official channels, with nothing of a delicate nature ever mentioned. He’s unable to remark additional on issues referring to nationwide safety.”
Their friendship got here at a time of great turmoil for the duke, who was below the highlight for his dealings with the businessman and convicted youngster sexual abuse offender Jeffrey Epstein – and allegations in opposition to Andrew himself that he had participated in sexual actions with a minor, Virginia Giuffre.
Till the Covid pandemic, Yang spent virtually half his time within the UK and informed the court docket he thought-about the UK to be his second dwelling. He had been within the UK for nearly 20 years.
UK safety companies suspected Yang to be related to an arm of the Chinese language state often known as the united entrance work division (UFWD). It has been described as one of many “magic weapons” of the Chinese language Communist social gathering, with a function to befriend influential figures and win them over to China’s mind-set.
It’s unclear what lastly prompted safety companies to behave – however Yang was stopped at an airport on 6 November 2021 and surrendered his units, together with his cell phone.
On the units, officers discovered he had extraordinary entry to Andrew, with letters from one of many duke’s senior advisers written in a heat and gushing tone. Nevertheless it took one other 15 months for authorities to behave decisively.
In February 2023, Yang was stopped and “off-boarded” from a flight from Beijing to London and was informed the British dwelling secretary was within the course of of creating a call to exclude him from the UK. That call was confirmed the next month.
The letter discovered on Yang’s cellphone from Dominic Hampshire, a senior adviser to Prince Andrew, dated from March 2020 and referred to him being invited to the duke’s celebration that month. It mentioned: “I additionally hope that it’s clear to you the place you sit with my principal and certainly his household.
“It is best to by no means underestimate the energy of that relationship. Exterior of his closest inner confidants, you sit on the very prime of a tree that many, many individuals want to be on.”
The letter urged the connection had a doubtlessly secretive nature, saying: “We now have discovered a approach to fastidiously take away these individuals who we don’t fully belief … we discovered a approach to get the related individuals unnoticed out and in of the home in Windsor.”
Hampshire wrote once more in October 2020, giving Yang extraordinary authority to behave on behalf of the prince in doing enterprise offers with China. The letter gave Yang permission to signify Andrew on the Eurasia fund, a world finance initiative that engages potential Chinese language buyers.
Investigators additionally uncovered a doc that they believed concerned the Chinese language embassy offering inquiries to be requested on a name between Yang and the prince.
It mentioned Yang ought to “handle expectations” and that it was “actually vital to not set ‘too excessive’ expectations – he’s in a determined state of affairs and can seize on to something.” It mentioned: “Key message: the whole lot goes nicely; going to plan c. Don’t point out any ‘large numbers’ as this may create ‘pointless expectation and strain’.
“If he does discuss cash: ‘issues are going nicely, discussing with Dominic who will observe up’ b. If he asks about when offers are occurring: ‘making’ good progress; not instantly however within the not too distant future 13. It’s higher to under-promise after which over-deliver.”
Regardless of the “speaking factors” memo, which refers to “cash”, there isn’t a proof any cost was made between the 2.
In his witness assertion in June final 12 months, Yang downplayed his hyperlinks with the UFWD however officers suspected him of getting shut connections with the operation, in accordance with the court docket paperwork.
When interviewed, Yang mentioned he “avoids getting concerned in politics and has no connections to anybody in politics in China”. That was rejected by officers, who mentioned the proof on his units confirmed he was “incessantly linked to officers related to the Chinese language state”.
In a press release issued on his behalf, Yang rejected allegations of spying. He mentioned: “The widespread description of me as a ‘spy’ is solely unfaithful. For this reason I utilized for a evaluation of the Residence Workplace determination within the first place, and why I’m in search of permission to enchantment the Siac [Special Immigration Appeals Commission] determination …
“I’m an impartial, self-made entrepreneur and I’ve all the time aimed to foster partnerships and construct bridges between east and west. I’ve devoted my skilled life within the UK to constructing hyperlinks between British and Chinese language companies. My actions have performed an element in bringing a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands of kilos of funding into the UK.
“I constructed my personal life within the UK over twenty years and love the nation as my second dwelling. I’d by no means do something to hurt the pursuits of the UK.”
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