The UK government has given the green light to the construction of a massive new Chinese embassy complex in east London, despite concerns over security risks and the potential impact on political exiles in the capital. The decision by Communities Secretary Steve Reed brings an end, for now, to a long-running saga over the site at Royal Mint Court near Tower Bridge.
However, residents of the area plan to mount a legal challenge to the decision within weeks, fearing they could be forced out of their homes and potentially delaying the project by months or even years. The new embassy, which will be the largest in Europe, will host more than 200 staff, leading critics to argue that it will become a hub for Chinese espionage and the intimidation of dissidents, including those from Hong Kong.
Despite these concerns, Reed said that neither the Home Office nor the Foreign Office had raised any site-specific security issues that would justify blocking the development. He noted that China had agreed to consolidate seven existing diplomatic sites into one, which MI5 has indicated would make monitoring the site easier.
The decision has sparked a fierce political backlash, with opposition MPs from across the spectrum voicing their concerns. Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, accused Labour leader Keir Starmer of a “shameful super-embassy surrender”, while former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith accused Reed of ignoring security warnings and wider considerations.
The former head of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre, Ciaran Martin, had previously suggested that the British intelligence agencies would not allow the “mega embassy” to go ahead if it posed unmanageable risks. However, the government has now given the green light, likely in an effort to smooth relations ahead of Starmer’s expected visit to China at the end of January.
The decision is also seen as part of a broader effort by Beijing to assert its influence in the UK, with the London embassy row having blocked the UK’s own plans to redevelop its outpost in China’s capital for years.
