UK approves Chinese embassy in London despite fears over security, protests

The British government has given China approval to build the largest embassy in Europe in London eight years after Beijing bought the site.Published On 20 Jan 2026The British government has given China approval to build the largest embassy in Europe in London eight years after Beijing bought the site.Housing Minister Steve Reed’s decision to grant planning permission on Tuesday came before an expected visit to China by Prime Minister Keir Starmer later this month, the first by a British leader since 2018.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Is Europe really breaking free from China, or just following the US?list 2 of 3China says GDP grew 5% in 2025, among weakest expansions in decadeslist 3 of 3European leaders slam Trump’s tariff threats over Greenlandend of listChina’s plans to build a new embassy on the site of the two-century-old Royal Mint Court near the London" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="2545" data-entity-type="location">Tower of London have stalled for three years over opposition from residents, lawmakers and Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners in Britain.Pro-democracy campaigners from Hong Kong fear Beijing could use the embassy to harass political opponents and even detain them, while nearby residents fear it could pose a security risk to them and attract large protests.Politicians in Britain and the United States have warned the government against allowing China to build the embassy on the site over concerns that it could be used as a base for spying.The future embassy could still face legal challenges as residents said they planned to challenge the approval in the courts.Reed said the decision was now final, barring a successful challenge in court.A government spokesperson said intelligence agencies had helped to develop a “range of measures … to manage any risks”.Security Minister Dan Jarvis said China would continue to pose national security threats but added that after “detailed consideration of all possible risks around this new embassy … I am assured that the UK’s national security is protected”.