Chinese super-embassy in London to get green light: Report

A new Chinese so-called “super embassy” planned in central London is expected to get the UK government’s stamp of approval after the country’s Planning Inspectorate has reportedly given its nod. Security experts have warned the UK government that the country would be at risk of cyber attacks if plans for a Chinese "super-embassy" in London are allowed to go ahead. Beijing has revealed plans to develop the Royal Mint Court, between the City of London and Canary Wharf, into its largest European-based embassy. The proposals have sparked strong backlash from locals and cyber security professionals, however, who warned that the facility could be used to "wire tap" sensitive communications linked to national security.
Although Tower Hamlets rejected the application in 2022, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has revived the plans and will be given the final say on whether it is ultimately given the green light, the site of the historic Royal Mint Court near the Tower of London. The plans, initially blocked amid espionage risk, were revived following lobbying by China, and a 12-day public inquiry took place in February. Following this, the Planning Inspectorate, an executive agency of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), is understood to have given the scheme the “green light”. Despite the concerns, government officials including foreign secretary David Lammy and home secretary Yvette Cooper have signalled their support of the new diplomatic site, and chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £600 million worth of trade deals with China in January.
Political scientist Dr Benson Wong also warned that the development's proposal of a tunnel and basement rooms for "redacted use" could enable Beijing to "prevent host-country security forces" from monitoring Chinese intelligence collection and wiretapping. "This means the embassy can carry out any espionage or intelligence work in a secure environment," he said. "If the Labour government does nothing and allows the new Chinese embassy to take liberties ... the impact could be disastrous."