Question: According to media reports, a businessman who has settled status in the UK was banned from entering the UK last year for allegedly posing national security risk to the UK due to his relationship with China's United Front Department. What is your comment?

Embassy Spokesperson: Some people in the UK are so keen on making up all kinds of "spy" stories against China. This again is a typical case of the thief crying "catch thief". Their purpose is to smear China and sabotage normal people-to-people exchanges between China and the UK. We strongly condemn this.

I must point out that the  United Front led by the CPC endeavours to bring together various political parties and people from all walks of life, ethnic groups and organisations to promote cooperation between the CPC and people who are not members of it.

The CPC and the Chinese government always believe that different civilisations should respect and learn from each other with an open mind, works for for harmonious coexistence, win-win cooperation and peaceful development of all countries, and promote normal people-to-people exchanges and  friendship with other countries. Non-interference in each other’s internal affairs is an important principle upheld by Chinese diplomacy. The Chinese side is fair and square, above-board and beyond reproach.

Some on the British side repeatedly use China's United Front work as a pretext to accuse China of wrongdoing, discredit China's political system, and undermine normal exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK. Such sinister plots will never succeed.

We urge the relevant parties in the UK to immediately stop creating trouble, stop spreading the “China threat” narrative, and stop undermining normal exchanges between China and the UK.