UK government approves Chinese ‘mega embassy’ in London

The UK government has approved the construction of a vast new Chinese embassy complex in east London, despite concerns about security and its impact on political exiles in the capital.The decision brings to an end, for now at least, the saga that has been running since 2018 over the site at Royal Mint Court near Tower Bridge.However, residents of Royal Mint Court plan to mount a legal challenge to the decision within weeks, amid concerns they could be forced out of their homes, and potentially delaying the project by months or years.MPs from across the political spectrum voiced their opposition to the application, although the security services have said they can handle the risks of espionage that may stem from the enlarged site, which sits close to data cables that run to the London" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="9193" data-entity-type="location">City of London.The former head of GCHQ’s national cybersecurity centre Ciaran Martin said on Sunday that the British intelligence agencies would not allow the new ‘mega embassy’ to go ahead if it posed unmanageable risks.Although officials say there has been no political input in the planning process, the green light is likely to smooth relations before Keir Starmer’s visit to China, expected at the end of January.Beijing has made the embassy a priority in the UK-China relationship. Xi Jinping, China’s leader, raised the matter directly with the prime minister in their first phone call in August 2024.The UK’s plans to redevelop its own outpost in China’s capital have been blocked for years by Xi’s government because of the London embassy row.