The British government on Tuesday approved China's construction of the largest embassy in Europe in London, hoping to improve relations with Beijing, despite warnings from British and American politicians about the possible use of the building for espionage. This was reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
China's plans to build a new embassy on the site of the two-year-old historic Royal Mint Court building near the Tower of London have been blocked for three years due to resistance from local residents, lawmakers, and pro-democracy supporters from Hong Kong.
The decision was announced ahead of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's expected visit to China this month — the first visit by a British leader since 2018. Some British and Chinese officials noted that the trip depended on the embassy's approval.
Despite security concerns, British intelligence agencies involved in the approval process said any threat could be mitigated.
"China has created and continues to create threats to our national security,"
At the same time, after a detailed assessment of the risks from the new embassy, he was assured that "the national security of Great Britain is protected."
However, the approval process has lasted seven years and may not yet be complete. Local residents have announced their intention to challenge the decision in court, arguing that it would be illegal if British officials privately guaranteed China approval of the project before the planning procedure was completed.
The government took control of the planning decision last year, and a hearing on the feasibility of the construction was held in February this year. The opposition Conservative Party called the decision "a shameful act of cowardice" from a government "completely devoid of character."
The Chinese Embassy in London briefly noted that it had taken note of the government's decision. British intelligence agencies warned that a large Chinese embassy would mean more spies in the country, but the Chinese side rejected these accusations.
In recent years, Great Britain has moved from being "Europe's biggest supporter of China" to "one of its harshest critics," and is now trying to mend relations again. Starmer said last month that closer business ties are in the national interest.
The new embassy will cover an area of about 55,000 square meters (600,000 square feet), almost ten times larger than China's current embassy in central London and significantly larger than China's embassy in the United States.
Royal Mint Court was the site of the Royal Mint from the early 19th century until 1967.