UK clears construction of ‘mega’ Chinese Embassy in London, delayed over national security concerns | World News

Authorities in the United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 20, approved the construction of a new Chinese Embassy building in London, which had been stalled due to potential security concerns. The proposed embassy building in central London will come up on the land that was once home to the Royal Mint Court, where Britain used to mint its coins. The Chinese purchased the land in 2018 for around $312 million to build its new Embassy building, Beijing’s largest diplomatic establishment in Europe.

The new embassy would replace China’s main diplomatic premises in Portland Place in the Marylebone drict of central London. This has been the site of China’s embassy since 1877, when it was opened as the country’s first permanent overseas diplomatic mission.

The then-British Foreign Miner, Boris Johnson, had described it as China’s “largest overseas diplomatic investment”.

In 2021, China submitted its plans to redevelop the ​site to the Tower Hamlets council in East London.Story continues below this ad

Spying, national security concerns

However, it ran into trouble after many raised concerns that the proposed super embassy would be used as a base for espionage as well as pose a heightened threat of surveillance and intimidation of Chinese dissidents in exile.

The then-British Foreign Miner, Boris Johnson, had described it as China’s “largest overseas diplomatic investment”. (Photo: Reuters)

Opponents also pointed out that the huge site sits too close to underground fiber optic cables carrying sensitive financial information between London’s two main financial dricts.

According to British media reports, the 20,000 square meter complex would include 208 secret basement rooms close to the data cables.

In 2022, Tower Hamlets council unexpectedly refused to grant permission for the project, saying it would impact on the lives of residents.Story continues below this ad

China submitted the proposal again in 2024, with Xi Jinping pushing the case directly with Keir Starmer. Despite this, in 2025, the government repeatedly postponed the decision on it after multiple cases of alleged Chinese spying and political interference underlined alarms about the proposed embassy.

What UK Government said

On clearing the proposal now, the British government said it had worked “with policing, and other relevant partners, to ensure that the breadth of national security issues associated with this planning application have been considered and addressed.”

The government said that “no bodies with responsibility for national security … have raised concerns or objected to the proposal on the basis of the proximity of the cables or other underground infrastructure.”

Starmer has stressed that while protecting national security is non-negotiable, Britain needs to keep up diplomatic dialogue and cooperation with the Asian superpower.Story continues below this ad

Conservative foreign affairs spokeswoman Priti Patel criticised the government’s decision.

“Keir Starmer has sold off our national security to the Chinese Commun Party with his shameful super embassy surrender,” Patel said.