LONDON — The British government has approved plans for a new Chinese embassy in London, concluding that security risks can be managed even as lawmakers, campaigners and some former officials warn the site could become a hub for intelligence-gathering and transnational repression.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed approved the proposal for a large embassy complex at Royal Mint Court, adjacent to the Tower of London. Security Minister Dan Jarvis told Parliament he was “assured that the UK national security is protected” and that any risks posed by the development were being “appropriately managed.”
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Britain’s domestic security service, MI5, and the Government Communications Headquarters said a package of national security mitigations had been developed to govern the embassy site. Jarvis added there were national security advantages in China consolidating its diplomatic footprint, with seven separate Chinese diplomatic buildings expected to be brought under one roof.
The decision follows years of local and political opposition. The Labour-led Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy had urged ministers to reject the plan, warning the embassy — expected to be the largest in Europe — would “create a hub for expanded intelligence-gathering and intimidation operations.”
Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee said in a statement that security concerns “can be satisfactorily mitigated,” broadly aligning with the government’s position. But it criticized how ministers assessed national security considerations during the planning process and cautioned that China continues to target the UK and its interests “prolifically and aggressively.”
Critics condemned the go-ahead. “At a time when the Chinese Communist Party is intensifying its intimidation of Britain, this decision sends entirely the wrong message,” said Iain Duncan Smith, a Conservative MP sanctioned by Beijing. Christopher Mung, a former Hong Kong district councillor who fled to Britain in 2021, said the approval would enable efforts to repress Hong Kongers and other dissidents abroad. “I feel betrayed by the UK government,” he said.
David Alton, a member of the Interparliamentary Alliance on China, said he was “not persuaded” the risks can be contained. “How do you manage people like the spies who have been operating across Parliament? How do you manage people who are working in espionage?” he asked, comparing the decision to the idea of authorizing a “mega-embassy” for the Kremlin during the Cold War.
Opponents said they will continue their fight through the courts. The Royal Mint Residents’ Association plans to seek a judicial review in the coming days, according to its treasurer, Mark Nygate. He said the challenge will focus on whether the outcome was predetermined, public access to historic ruins on the site, and the redaction of several rooms in the published plans. The association has instructed lawyer Charlie Banner to prepare the case.
Downing Street defended the decision and its safeguards. The prime minister’s official spokesman said classified facilities are a standard feature of any significant diplomatic presence, that the government had reviewed the plans, and that it was “content that any risks are being appropriately managed.” Reed said the approval followed “a quasi-judicial process,” requiring decisions to be made fairly and based on evidence and planning rules.
In a written statement, the Communities Secretary said “all material considerations were taken into account” and that the decision is final unless successfully challenged in court.
Mung urged the prime minister not to travel to Beijing absent the restoration of democracy and freedoms in Hong Kong. “We are also worrying that during his trip to China, the Prime Minister will trade off our freedom and human rights for trade and investment,” he said. “I don’t think we should compromise the core values this society is upholding.”
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
