An academic with apparent connections to the Chinese Communist Party has forged links inside the UK parliament and met King Charles and Queen Camilla. Professor Yu Xiong, a business analytics expert at the University of Surrey and a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, has attended numerous events in the House of Lords since 2022 and had regular contact with peers, including Baroness Uddin, a cross-bencher.
Xiong appears to be connected to the Chinese Communist Party, having led a branch of the Western Returned Scholars Association, which is managed by the United Front Work Department. The United Front, described as a “magic weapon” by Chinese President Xi Jinping, aims to advance China’s goals overseas. Security agencies in the UK, US, and other Western countries have issued warnings about the United Front’s influence operations.
Xiong has also attended meetings with Chinese officials to discuss plans for a mega-embassy in Tower Hamlets, which were initially blocked by the local council but are now being reconsidered by ministers.
Xiong denies any connections to the United Front and strongly rejects accusations of extensive ties to the Chinese Communist Party. He stated that he had not attended any Western Returned Scholars Association meetings since 2019 and allowed his role as UK president to lapse in 2023.
Experts say that Xiong’s role as UK president suggested a “high level of integration into the CCP-led United Front system” and called for further scrutiny of the organization’s activities in the UK.
Xiong has established connections inside parliament and met the king and queen. He has also collaborated with Uddin on an all-party parliamentary group and attended meetings together in London, China, and Bangladesh.
The article also highlights Xiong’s support for Beijing’s foreign policy aims, including China’s claim over Taiwan. Xiong has been an outspoken supporter of Beijing’s foreign policy and attended meetings with Chinese officials regarding embassy plans.
Xiong’s solicitors responded to allegations, stating that any peaceful resolution of the China-Taiwan issue is preferable to a non-peaceful one and that Xiong respects the Taiwanese people’s right to self-determination.
The article also mentions Xiong’s connections to investment funds and the potential conflicts of interest they present. Both Uddin and Taylor, cross-bench peers, claimed ignorance about their roles as advisers to an investment fund called the “Thames Fund.”
Additional research by Jason Tzu Kuan Lu contributed to the article.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/26/academic-with-apparent-ties-to-beijing-has-forged-links-within-uk-parliament
