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Britain’s government on Tuesday approved plans for a large new Chinese Embassy in central London, ending years of delay and controversy around the project.The embassy, the largest in Europe, will be built at Royal Mint Court, close to the Tower of London, a site bought by the Chinese government in 2018 for £225 million. It will cover around 20,000 square metres and will replace several smaller Chinese official buildings across London. The decision comes after repeated delays and legal challenges.The plan has faced strong opposition from lawmakers, security experts, and activists who say the site could be used for spying and intimidation of Chinese dissidents living in the UK. The concerns also include the site’s proximity to underground fibre-optic cables that carry sensitive financial data between London’s main financial districts. British media have reported that the complex would include 208 basement rooms close to these cables.Protests against the project have continued for years. On Sunday, opposition Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch joined demonstrators at the site. She said Britain should not allow a country accused of spying on MPs to have such a large embassy in the heart of London.”We do not want a country that spies on our MPs (lawmakers) having this super-embassy right here,” she said. “We know that we have to stand up to the abuses of China. And what worries me is that we have a government right now that seems to be scared of China.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government had delayed the decision amid several recent cases involving alleged Chinese spying and political interference. Starmer has said national security cannot be compromised, but he also argued that Britain must maintain diplomatic ties and dialogue with China.”National security is our first duty. Intelligence agencies have been involved throughout the process and an extensive range of measures have been developed to manage any risks. Following extensive negotiations in recent months, the Chinese government has agreed to consolidate its seven current sites in London into one site, bringing clear security advantages,” the government said.The approval is expected to clear the way for a long-planned visit by Starmer to China and for an expansion of the UK’s embassy in Beijing. If it happens, it would be the first visit by a British prime minister to China since 2018.
