A presumed Chinese intelligence operative – referred to as a “trusted associate” of Prince Andrew – has been prohibited from entering the UK due to worries he could endanger national security.
The purported spy, identified only as H6, faced his first exclusion from the UK in 2023, enacted by then-home secretary Suella Braverman after the Home Office indicated that he was deemed to have participated in “covert and deceptive operations” for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The situation has recently resurfaced in the media, as H6 contended that his barring from the UK was unlawful and submitted an appeal to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC).
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Just last week, the specialized tribunal in London upheld the exclusion, affirming that Ms. Braverman had been “justified in deducing” that he “posed a threat to national security”.
Since then, MPs have conveyed apprehension about the extent of access purportedly achieved by the businessman, following reports suggesting he also held meetings with former prime ministers Lord David Cameron and Baroness Theresa May.
Here is all the information we have on the matter thus far.
Who is H6?
H6 is a 50-year-old Chinese citizen who served as a civil servant in China before arriving in the UK as a student in 2002.
Upon settling in Britain, he established a business that advised UK companies on operating within China.
He is alleged to have been acting on behalf of the CCP and the United Front Work Department – a segment of the CCP that critics assert is utilized to sway foreign entities.
Judges at the SIAC tribunal were informed that during a briefing for the home secretary in July 2023, officials indicated that H6 had the potential to foster relationships between notable UK officials and high-ranking Chinese officials “that could be exploited for political interference purposes”.
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Alleged spy linked to Prince Andrew
Furthermore, officials noted that H6 had minimized his affiliations with the Chinese government, which in conjunction with his ties to Andrew, constituted a risk to national security.
On December 12, the trio of SIAC judges remarked that H6 had led a private existence in the UK, which had been characterized as the businessman’s “second home”.
They indicated that he possessed “settled status, a residence, and extensive business interests in the United Kingdom. He was regarded as a close associate of the duke”.
Connection with Prince Andrew
The exact timing of the duke and H6’s first meeting remains unclear, but a statement issued by Andrew on Friday revealed that the two initially connected through “official channels”.
Reports suggest that their relationship became so warm that H6 was invited to the royal’s birthday celebration in 2020, visited Buckingham Palace on two occasions, and also entered St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle at the duke’s invitation, as reported by The Times.
Andrew’s aide Dominic Hampshire further informed H6 that he could represent the duke in discussions with prospective investors in China.
During the SIAC tribunal proceedings, a letter dated March 2020 from Mr. Hampshire – mentioning the invitation to the duke’s birthday – was discovered on H6’s devices when he was apprehended at a port in November 2021.
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Prince Andrew and China: What is unfolding?
The advisor remarked in the correspondence: “I sincerely hope it is evident to you where you stand with my principal (Prince Andrew) and his family.”
“You should never undervalue the depth of that connection… Apart from his closest internal advisors, you are situated at the pinnacle of a hierarchy that numerous individuals would aspire to occupy.”
Judges who endorsed the prohibition on H6’s entry into the country contended that the duke could have been rendered “vulnerable” due to his connections.
The duke’s declaration stated that he “halted all communication with the individual once concerns emerged”.
“The duke was introduced to the individual through official channels, and no discussions of a sensitive nature ever took place. He cannot provide further commentary on issues pertaining to national security,” the statement articulated.
Multiple publications have disclosed that the King has been informed about his brother’s associations with the purported spy.
Sky News has also obtained images of the suspected spy alongside former Conservative Party leaders Lord Cameron and Baroness May.
There is no implication that either was aware of his alleged connections to the Chinese regime, and the timing of the photographs remains unknown.
Sky News has obtained photos of H6 with Cameron and May
Will H6 be identified?
The purported Chinese spy is identified only as H6 due to the court granting a temporary anonymity ruling protecting his identity.
Nevertheless, several MPs are advocating for the lifting of this order.
Nigel Farage has articulated that his Reform UK party is poised to utilize parliamentary privilege – which offers legal immunity to legislators – to disclose the alleged agent’s name in the House of Commons.
Meanwhile, former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has stated that he intends to request an urgent question in the Commons concerning the United Front Work Department, the organization believed to be linked to H6.
He mentioned to The Guardian that he would aim to put pressure on the government regarding the foreign influence registration scheme (FIRS), which is meant to safeguard the UK from covert influences, but has yet to be enacted.
FIRS would mandate individuals to reveal their affiliations, the tasks they are directed to perform, and the date when the arrangement was established.
Tom Tugendhat, the previous Conservative security minister, also urged Labour to proceed with the implementation of the FIRS.
During an interview with Sky News Breakfast, he expressed that the allegations are merely the “tip of the iceberg”.
Mr. Tugendhat asserted that the UK is “observing a pattern” of efforts to sway or alter British policies, and attempts to appropriate economic secrets and intellectual properties.
When queried about whether the anonymity ruling should be revoked, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper informed Sky News on Saturday that she “always respects the decisions made by the courts”.
She remarked that Britain maintains a “complex” rapport with China, necessitating economic collaboration with the nation while concurrently addressing any threats to national security.
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‘Everyone in the cabinet’ is likely aware
Jim McMahon, a minister from the Labour party, mentioned to Sky News Breakfast that it is the court’s responsibility to determine whether an individual’s identity should be disclosed or not.
He expressed belief that everyone within the cabinet is aware of H6’s identity.
What has been stated by China?
A representative from the Chinese embassy in the UK remarked last week that certain individuals in the UK are “eager” to fabricate “various types of espionage narratives against China”.
“This is once again a classic case of the thief yelling ‘catch the thief’,” they added.
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“Their agenda is to tarnish China’s image and impede normal exchanges between people in China and the UK. We firmly denounce this.”
They also indicated that the United Front “works to unite various political parties, individuals from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and organizations” to “foster cooperation between the CCP and those who are not affiliated with it”.
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“Certain individuals on the British side frequently leverage China’s United Front work as justification to accuse China of misdeeds, discredit its political system, and compromise usual exchanges and collaboration between China and the UK.
“Such malevolent schemes are destined to fail. We urge relevant parties in the UK to promptly cease creating unrest, abandon the narrative of the ‘China threat’, and halt undermining ordinary interactions between China and the UK.”
