Gordonstoun terminates agreement with company linked to alleged Chinese spy

The educational institution previously attended by the King has severed its association with a company whose chairman faces accusations of espionage on behalf of the Chinese government. Gordonstoun, situated in Moray, cancelled an accord with Hampton Group International following the identification of its chairman and shareholder, Yang Tengbo, as the alleged Chinese spy referred to by the pseudonym “H6”. This agreement between the school and Hampton was intended to facilitate the establishment of five new educational facilities in China, each maintaining strong affiliations with Gordonstoun. On Monday, Mr. Yang, alongside his legal representatives, chose to reveal his identity publicly, despite his vehement denials of the espionage allegations. Mr. Yang maintains a close relationship with the Duke of York, and a High Court judge determined that they had developed an “unusual degree of trust”. Prince Andrew attended Gordonstoun as a student from 1973-1979; however, he currently holds no connections to the institution. Last week, he stated that he had “ceased all contact” with Mr. Yang subsequent to receiving guidance from the government, and his office affirmed that “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed” transpired between them. A school spokesperson stated: “Gordonstoun has been made aware that Yang Tengbo, the chairman of the Hampton Group, has been named as the alleged Chinese spy known as ‘H6’.” “Following this information, Gordonstoun terminated its contract with the Hampton Group. For legal reasons, we are unable to provide further details at this time.” Gordonstoun occupies 200 acres (81 hectares) of land on the Moray coast, situated several miles to the west of Lossiemouth. The school was established in 1934 by Kurt Hahn, a German educator who was compelled to depart his native country after expressing criticism of Hitler. Prince Philip was among the initial students at the school and maintained a strong connection to it throughout his lifetime. His three sons—King Charles, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward—attended the school, as did Princess Anne’s children, Peter and Zara Phillips. In correspondence from his time as a student, the King indicated that he found Gordonstoun challenging, although he has subsequently acknowledged its advantages. He was appointed a patron of the school in May. Mr. Yang, also identified as Chris Yang, has been prohibited from entering the UK since the previous year. He contested his prohibition from entering the UK before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in July, but his appeal was unsuccessful last week. He has maintained that he has “done nothing wrong or unlawful” and asserted that any claim of his involvement in espionage is “entirely untrue”. Mr. Yang asserted that he was a casualty of a “political climate” characterized by escalating tensions between the UK and China. In a declaration issued after a High Court judge rescinded an order that had granted him anonymity, he stated: “Due to the high level of speculation and misreporting in the media and elsewhere, I have asked my legal team to disclose my identity.” “I have done nothing wrong or unlawful and the concerns raised by the Home Office against me are ill-founded. The widespread description of me as a ‘spy’ is entirely untrue.” The Chinese embassy in the UK had previously refuted the espionage accusation, stating that “some individuals in the UK are always eager to fabricate baseless ‘spy’ stories targeting China”.” “Their purpose is to smear China and disrupt normal exchanges between Chinese and British personnel,” according to a spokesperson for the embassy.