US EditionWhite House urges Keir Starmer to block Chinese 'super embassy' in London amid national security fears
- The UK government is deciding on China's proposal to build a large embassy near London's financial districts in 2025, amid security concerns.
- Concerns arise from the embassy's proximity to critical communications cables linking the City of London and Canary Wharf, highlighted by UK and US intelligence since 2019.
- In 2022, Tower Hamlets Council declined the embassy proposals, but after lobbying efforts by China and following Labour’s election success, the plans were referred for a ministerial review.
- US officials warned Downing Street of espionage risks, and UK ministers, including Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, pledged a 'fulsome response' to security concerns in the planning process.
- A government decision balancing national security and diplomatic relations is pending, with protest rallies and debate reflecting tensions over UK-China ties and intelligence sharing obligations.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Dutch sound alarm on Chinese super-embassy in London
For years, Steerpike has been warning about the dangers of a new Chinese ‘super-embassy’ being built in Tower Hamlets. Located on the site of Britain’s old Royal Mint, there are plans to build Beijing’s largest overseas outpost, sitting opposite the Tower of London. Local residents, many of whom are Uighur Muslim, are viscerally opposed, while
Beijing is pressing for a mega-seat near the Tower of London. But the US doesn't want it and asks the British government not to grant clearance.
New Chinese embassy in London likely to be blocked, says former MI6 boss
China’s plan for a new “super” embassy in central London is likely to be refused due to the site’s proximity to sensitive communication cables, according to the former head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service.Speaking to The i Paper, Sir Richard Dearlove warned that the presence of critical cabling networks nearby the site, first revealed by this newspaper, presented a “real problem” as Chinese officials could be able to tap into sensitive …
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