The British government has formally approved the construction of a massive new Chinese embassy in London, overriding years of fierce criticism from lawmakers and activists who warn the complex will serve as a hub for espionage and the surveillance of Beijing’s opponents. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed signed off on the plans for the site near the Tower of London, which at approximately 215,000 square feet will be China’s largest diplomatic mission in Europe and has raised alarms due to its proximity to underground fiber optic cables carrying sensitive financial data. The decision follows intense scrutiny from security officials, with the heads of MI5 and GCHQ stating in a letter that while “it is not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk,” they believed “expert, professional and proportionate” security measures were in place for the consolidated site.
The approval has drawn sharp rebukes from across the political spectrum, with Conservative security spokesman Chris Philp accusing the government of having “capitulated to Chinese demands,” while Labour peer and human rights lawyer Helena Kennedy called it a “dangerous step” that reinforces a notion of making concessions “without reciprocity or regard for the rule of law.” Opponents, including protestors led by opposition leader Kemi Badenoch, argue the move signals Britain is yielding to economic pressure from Beijing, a charge Security Minister Dan Jarvis denied, insisting, “We don’t trade off security for economic access.” The government maintains that no national security bodies objected to the plans, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer has framed the move as balancing security with the necessity of diplomatic engagement, with the approval expected to facilitate a potential prime ministerial visit to China.