China’s ‘super embassy’ in London ignites spy concerns
(MENAFN) Plans for China’s massive new embassy in London, dubbed a “super embassy” by British media, have been postponed after UK officials requested clarification on certain “greyed-out” sections of the design, which Beijing refused to fully disclose, the Financial Times reported.
The project, intended to be the largest Chinese diplomatic compound in Europe, has faced bureaucratic hurdles since Beijing first applied for a permit in 2022. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy expressed “serious concern” over the UK’s delay, stating that China had complied with all standard diplomatic procedures and that the host country has an obligation to facilitate embassy construction.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner had asked Beijing to justify the purpose of the Cultural Exchange Building and Embassy House in the proposed compound, but Chinese officials declined to provide detailed internal layout plans, saying it was “not necessary or appropriate.” The Ministry of Housing subsequently postponed its decision until October 21.
China purchased the five-acre Royal Mint Court site near the Tower of London in 2018. The planned compound would include offices, 225 residences, a cultural center, and a main embassy building, roughly ten times the size of the current premises. Critics have warned that the facility could be used for covert surveillance, amid ongoing espionage tensions between London and Beijing.
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