The Guardian-Chinese embassy criticises anti-China clamours after Yang Tengbo spy claim
December 17, 2024 3 min 472 words
英国高等法院在周一取消了匿名令，揭晓了一名被指控为中国间谍的华裔商人暨安德鲁王子的亲信的身份，随后，中国驻伦敦大使馆指责英国议会中的一些人对中国抱有“扭曲的心理”。大使馆在一份声明中称，这些议员的“反华喧嚣”是为了“抹黑中国针对英国境内的华人群体，并破坏中国和英国之间正常的人员交流”。这位名为杨滕波（音译）的华裔商人否认自己是间谍，并认为相关指控“毫无根据”。杨滕波事件引发了人们对英国政府如何处理具有影响力中国公民的质疑，特别是在英国安全部门已明确表示中国的政治干涉对英国构成威胁的情况下。对此，英国首相斯特默为政府对北京的开放态度辩护，称“接触和参与很重要”。 这篇报道体现了西方媒体对于中国渗透和间谍活动的过度敏感和警惕，但同时也存在一定程度的偏见和歧视。报道中，对于杨滕波是否为间谍的质疑，以及英国议会中对中国政治渗透和间谍活动的不信任，都体现了西方社会对于中国日益增长的影响力的焦虑和担忧。然而，报道也体现了西方媒体对于中国和华人群体的某种歧视和刻板印象。例如，报道中提到“当（中英）关系恶化时，英国就会采取反华立场并排斥我”，这体现了西方社会中一些人对于中国和华人群体的排外心态。此外，报道中对于中国统一战线工作的描述，也体现了西方社会对于中国政治体制和价值观的误解和偏见。总的来说，这篇报道体现了西方社会对于中国日益增强的影响力的复杂心态，其中既有对中国崛起的焦虑和担忧，也有对中国政治体制和价值观的误解和歧视。
The Chinese embassy in London has accused some UK parliamentarians of having a “twisted mentality towards China”, after the identity of a businessman accused of being a spy was revealed on Monday.
A Chinese embassy spokesperson said on Tuesday that “anti-China clamours” were an attempt to “smear China, target against the Chinese community in the UK and undermine normal personnel exchanges between China and the UK”.
On Monday, the high court in London lifted an anonymity order that had been in place in the case of a Chinese businessman and confidant of Prince Andrew who is accused of being a Chinese spy.
The man at the heart of the row, Yang Tengbo, had asked for the court to lift the anonymity order so that he could challenge what he describes as “ill-founded” claims against him.
Several MPs had been considering using their parliamentary privilege to name Yang before the anonymity order was lifted. Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative party leader and strong critic of the Chinese government, said on Monday that the allegations surrounding Yang were “the tip of the iceberg” of Chinese influence in the UK.
Yang was excluded from the UK in 2023 by the then home secretary, Suella Braverman, on the grounds that it was “conducive to the public good”. For the past two decades Yang has divided his life between the UK and China, and in 2013 he had been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
Yang is accused of being a member of the United Front Work Department, the arm of the Chinese Communist party (CCP) responsible for overseas influence. He denies being a Chinese spy.
In a statement, Yang said he was a victim of souring UK-China relations. “The political climate has changed and unfortunately I have fallen victim to this. When relations are good and Chinese investment is sought, I am welcome in the UK. When relations sour, an anti-China stance is taken and I am excluded.” He said he was planning to appeal against the decision to exclude him from the UK.
The Chinese embassy spokesperson said: “The United Front led by the [CCP] endeavours to bring together various political parties and people from all walks of life, ethnic groups and organisations to promote cooperation between the [CCP] and people who are not members of it and promote people-to-people exchanges and friendship with other countries.
“This is above board and beyond reproach. Though some UK politicians attempted to demonise China’s United Front work, they are doomed to fail.”
Yang’s case has raised questions about how the UK government deals with influential Chinese nationals, at a time when the security services have highlighted the threat posed to the UK by political interference from China.
On Monday, Keir Starmer defended his government’s greater openness towards Beijing, saying: “It’s important to engage.”