A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the UK has criticized the reaction in some quarters to the naming of a Chinese businessman as a suspected espionage agent. 

Yang Tengbo was named as a suspected agent who is said to have fostered close links to UK's Prince Andrew. Yang refuted these allegations in a court hearing on Monday and said he had done nothing wrong and was not a spy.

"We have noticed that the businessman has issued a statement to make a clarification," said the embassy spokesperson, before going out to say "the anti-China clamors made by a handful of UK MPs… have done nothing but fully revealed their twisted mentality towards China, as well as their arrogance and shamelessness. 

"This is a typical case of a thief crying 'catch thief', the spokesperson continued. "What they are really up to is to smear China, target against the Chinese community in the UK and undermine normal personnel exchanges between China and the UK. We strongly condemn this."

Insisting that "countries should pursue friendship and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit," the spokesperson reiterated China's intent to bring people together. 

"The United Front led by the CPC endeavors to bring together various political parties and people from all walks of life, ethnic groups and organizations to promote cooperation between the CPC and people who are not members of it and promote people-to-people exchanges and friendship with other countries," the spokesperson explained. 

"This is above-board and beyond reproach. Though some UK politicians attempted to demonize China's United Front work, they are doomed to fail.

"We always believe that a sound and stable China-UK relationship is not a one-sided favor but what meets the common interests of both sides. The UK side must have a right perception of China, see the historical trend clearly, and handle its relations with China on the basis of mutual respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit.

"We urge the UK side to immediately stop creating trouble, stop anti-China political manipulations, and stop undermining normal personnel exchanges between China and the UK."