48 Group Club

{{Short description|UK private company}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = The 48 Group Club

| formation = {{start date and age|1954}}

| founder = Jack Perry

| type = Private company limited by shares

| registration_id = 09417061

| headquarters = London

| location_country = United Kingdom

| leader_title = Chairman

| leader_name = Stephen Lawrence Andrew Perry

| website = {{Official URL}}

| formerly = 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 1954 to establish trade relations between the two countries.{{Cite web|title=About The Club|url=https://www.the48groupclub.com/about-the-club/|access-date=2020-09-27|website=The 48 Group Club|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924193437/https://www.the48groupclub.com/about-the-club/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|date=23 April 2019|title=Three generations of Perry's family devote their lives to promoting China-Britain economic, trade ties|work=Xinhua News Agency|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-04/23/c_138001629.htm|url-status=dead|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-date=11 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811093320/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-04/23/c_138001629.htm}}{{Cite news|date=20 December 2018|title=Stephen Perry: I am proud to receive the China Reform Friendship Medal|work=People's Daily|url=http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/1220/c90000-9530455.html|url-status=live|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-date=29 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129010620/http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/1220/c90000-9530455.html}} 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. Critics have contended that the organisation has functioned as a platform for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence British elites.{{Cite news|last=Hutton|first=Will|date=2020-08-11|title=Hidden Hand review – China's true global ambitions exposed|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/aug/11/hidden-hand-review-chinas-true-global-ambitions-exposed|url-status=live|access-date=2020-09-27|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=2020-09-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926204321/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/aug/11/hidden-hand-review-chinas-true-global-ambitions-exposed}}{{Cite book |last1=Hamilton |first1=Clive |title=Hidden Hand: Exposing How the Chinese Communist Party is Reshaping the World |title-link=Hidden Hand (book) |last2=Ohlberg |first2=Mareike |date=2020-09-03 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-78607-784-4 |pages=60–67 |language=en |oclc=1150166864 |author-link=Clive Hamilton |author-link2=Mareike Ohlberg}}{{Cite news|date=30 June 2020|title=48 Group Club: why China is 'grooming' Britain's business and political elite|work=The Week|url=https://www.theweek.co.uk/107392/48-club-china-grooming-britain-business-political-elite|url-status=live|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-date=26 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926100945/https://www.theweek.co.uk/107392/48-club-china-grooming-britain-business-political-elite}}{{Cite news |last1=Ellery |first1=Ben |last2=Fisher |first2=Lucy |date=4 July 2020 |title=Photograph links Tony Blair to pro-China 48 Group Club |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/photograph-links-tony-blair-to-pro-china-48-group-club-qwj7cxh98 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200909100719/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/photograph-links-tony-blair-to-pro-china-48-group-club-qwj7cxh98 |archive-date=2020-09-09 |access-date=2020-09-27 |work=The Times |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}

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.{{Cite news |last1=Ellery |first1=Ben |last2=Fisher |first2=Lucy |date=2 July 2020 |title=Pro-China 48 Group Club made Jack Straw a fellow |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/pro-china-48-group-club-made-jack-straw-a-fellow-7tkg369zg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904113848/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pro-china-48-group-club-made-jack-straw-a-fellow-7tkg369zg |archive-date=2020-09-04 |access-date=2020-09-28 |work=The Times |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite news|last=Ellery|first=Ben|date=8 July 2020|title=Now George Osborne is linked to pro-China 48 Group Club|language=en|work=The Times|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/now-george-osborne-is-linked-to-pro-china-48-group-club-according-to-hidden-hand-9x6k0zslw|url-status=live|access-date=2020-09-28|issn=0140-0460|archive-date=2020-08-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811093137/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/now-george-osborne-is-linked-to-pro-china-48-group-club-according-to-hidden-hand-9x6k0zslw}} 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.{{Cite news|date=6 February 2018|title=Interview: China-Britain ties should move with time: chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club|work=Xinhua News Agency|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-02/06/c_136952257.htm|url-status=dead|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-date=10 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810060228/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-02/06/c_136952257.htm}}{{Cite news|last=Liu|first=Cecily|date=13 September 2018|title='Icebreaker' who warmed Sino-British trading links|work=China Daily|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201809/13/WS5b99a497a31033b4f4655b87_1.html|access-date=28 September 2020|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184549/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201809/13/WS5b99a497a31033b4f4655b87_1.html|url-status=live}} In February 2020, Perry commented positively on the PRC's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and stated that the Chinese government showed "incredible sensitivity to the needs of the people."{{Cite news|date=28 February 2020|title=Interview: China shows remarkable coordination, selflessness in fighting novel coronavirus: British business leader|work=Xinhua News Agency|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-02/28/c_138825073.htm|url-status=dead|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-date=3 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303075818/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-02/28/c_138825073.htm}}

In 2023, 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.{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |last2=Mansey |first2=Kate |date=2024-12-13 |title=Prince Andrew ‘ceases all contact’ with Chinese spy suspect |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/prince-andrew-alleged-chinese-spy-banned-britain-rw8320qfh |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212195053/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/prince-andrew-alleged-chinese-spy-banned-britain-rw8320qfh |archive-date=2024-12-12 |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=The Times |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Mao |first=Frances |date=16 December 2024 |title=Yang Tengbo: Who is alleged Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3dx1yzzerlo |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |last=Wallis |first=William |last2=Rathbone |first2=John Paul |date=2024-12-12 |title=Alleged Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew excluded from the UK |url=https://www.ft.com/content/c05642ae-5756-49e8-9eb4-c50d95e4eec0 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241212224917/https://www.ft.com/content/c05642ae-5756-49e8-9eb4-c50d95e4eec0 |archive-date=2024-12-12 |access-date=2024-12-16 |work=Financial Times}} Yang's 2024 appeal was denied by a UK tribunal.{{Cite web |title=H6 v SSHD OPEN Judgment final for hand down FINAL |url=https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/H6-v-SSHD-OPEN-Judgment-final-for-hand-down-FINAL.pdf |website=Judiciary.uk |access-date=2024-12-19 |archive-date=2024-12-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217021710/https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/H6-v-SSHD-OPEN-Judgment-final-for-hand-down-FINAL.pdf |url-status=live }} The 48 Group Club stated that Yang "has never had any involvement with the work of the 48 Group."{{Cite news |date=December 13, 2024 |title=Alleged Chinese spy tied to Prince Andrew is businessman Yang Tengbo |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/china/2024/12/13/chinese-spy-uk-prince-andrew-yang-tengbo/ |access-date=December 14, 2024 |work=Radio Free Asia}}