A spokesperson for the country’s embassy in the UK also claimed that "anti-China clamours made by a handful of UK MPs" have "revealed their twisted mentality towards China" and accused them of trying to "smear China" and "undermine normal personnel exchanges” between the two countries.

British authorities allege that businessman Yang Tengbo was working on behalf of the United Front Work Department, an arm of the Chinese Communist Party that is used to promote Beijing's interests overseas.