Stephen perry 48 group club biography books

48 Group Club

UK private company

Formation; 71&#;years ago&#;()
FounderJack Perry
TypePrivate company limited by shares
Registration&#;no.
HeadquartersLondon
Location

Chairman

Stephen Lawrence Andrew Perry
Website

Formerly called

48 Group of British Traders with China

The 48 Group Club (originally, the 48 Group of British Traders with China) is a London-based private company dedicated to promoting trade between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the United Kingdom. The group is named after a British trade delegation of 48 businessmen, referred to as the "Icebreakers," who traveled to China in to establish trade relations between the two countries.[1][2][3] The organisation's motto, "Equality and Mutual Benefit," is derived from a quote by Zhou Enlai, the first Premier of the People's Republic of China.[1] Critics have contended that the organisation has functioned as a platform for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence British elites.[4][5][6][7]

Fellows of the 48 Group Club have included Tony Blair, Jack Straw, Alex Salmond, Peter Mandelson, Ken Livingstone, and other politicians, retired diplomats, and prominent business executives.[1][8][9] The 48 Group Club's chairman, Stephen Perry, has been a proponent of the Belt and Road Initiative and his commentary has been published by Chinese state media outlets.[2][10][11] In February , Perry commented positively on the PRC's response to the COVID pandemic and stated that the Chinese government showed "incredible sensitivity to the needs of the people."[12]

In , Yang Tengbo, an honorary board member of the 48 Group Club who has ties to Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was banned from entering the UK due to national security concerns.[13][14][15] Yang's appeal was denied by a UK tribunal.[16] The 48 Group Club stated that Yang "has never had any involvement with the work of the 48 Group."[17]

Criticism

In Hidden Hand: Exposing How The Chinese Communist Party Is Reshaping The World, authors Clive Hamilton and Mareike Ohlberg stated:[5]

In short, at the instigation of a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo, Zhou Enlai, the 48 Group was the work of three secret members of the Communist Party of Great Britain. From this foundation the club quickly developed an unrivalled level of trust and intimacy with the top leadership of the CCP, and has built itself into the most powerful instrument of Beijing's influence and intelligence gathering in the United Kingdom. Reaching into the highest ranks of Britain's political, business, media and university elites, the club plays a decisive role in shaping British attitudes to China.

Failed libel lawsuit

In June , the 48 Group Club and its chairman Stephen Perry launched a libel lawsuit in a failed attempt to block the publication of Hidden Hand in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[18][19][20]

See also

References

  1. ^ abc"About The Club". The 48 Group Club. Archived from the original on Retrieved
  2. ^ ab"Three generations of Perry's family devote their lives to promoting China-Britain economic, trade ties". Xinhua News Agency. 23 April Archived from the original on 11 August Retrieved 27 September
  3. ^"Stephen Perry: I am proud to receive the China Reform Friendship Medal". People's Daily. 20 December Archived from the original on 29 January Retrieved 27 September
  4. ^Hutton, Will (). "Hidden Hand review – China's true global ambitions exposed". The Guardian. ISSN&#; Archived from the original on Retrieved
  5. ^ abHamilton, Clive; Ohlberg, Mareike (). Hidden Hand: Exposing How the Chinese Communist Party is Reshaping the World. Simon and Schuster. pp.&#;60– ISBN&#;. OCLC&#;
  6. ^"48 Group Club: why China is 'grooming' Britain's business and political elite". The Week. 30 June Archived from the original on 26 September Retrieved 27 September
  7. ^Ellery, Ben; Fisher, Lucy (4 July ). "Photograph links Tony Blair to pro-China 48 Group Club". The Times. ISSN&#; Archived from the original on Retrieved
  8. ^Ellery, Ben; Fisher, Lucy (2 July ). "Pro-China 48 Group Club made Jack Straw a fellow". The Times. ISSN&#; Archived from the original on Retrieved
  9. ^Ellery, Ben (8 July ). "Now George Osborne is linked to pro-China 48 Group Club". The Times. ISSN&#; Archived from the original on Retrieved
  10. ^"Interview: China-Britain ties should move with time: chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club". Xinhua News Agency. 6 February Archived from the original on 10 August Retrieved 27 September
  11. ^Liu, Cecily (13 September ). "'Icebreaker' who warmed Sino-British trading links". China Daily. Archived from the original on 9 July Retrieved 28 September
  12. ^"Interview: China shows remarkable coordination, selflessness in fighting novel coronavirus: British business leader". Xinhua News Agency. 28 February Archived from the original on 3 March Retrieved 27 September
  13. ^Brown, David; Mansey, Kate (). "Prince Andrew 'ceases all contact' with Chinese spy suspect". The Times. Archived from the original on Retrieved
  14. ^Mao, Frances (16 December ). "Yang Tengbo: Who is alleged Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew?". BBC News. Retrieved
  15. ^Wallis, William; Rathbone, John Paul (). "Alleged Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew excluded from the UK". Financial Times. Archived from the original on Retrieved
  16. ^"H6 v SSHD OPEN Judgment final for hand down FINAL"(PDF). . Archived(PDF) from the original on Retrieved
  17. ^"Alleged Chinese spy tied to Prince Andrew is businessman Yang Tengbo". Radio Free Asia. December 13, Retrieved December 14,
  18. ^Fife, Robert; Chase, Steven (19 June ). "Legal challenge halts Canadian, U.S. and U.K. release of book critical of Chinese Communist Party". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 27 June Retrieved 27 September
  19. ^Nuttall, Jeremy (18 June ). "Legal troubles threaten to derail Canadian launch of book about Beijing's influence operations". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 30 June Retrieved 27 September
  20. ^Quinn, Jimmy (). "The Strange Attempt to Stop a New Book on China's Global Influence". National Review. Archived from the original on Retrieved

External links