Angela Rayner has given China two weeks to explain why key sections of its proposals for a new "mega-embassy" in London have been redacted.
According to the BBC, the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government, led by the Deputy Prime Minister, sent a letter requesting more information and a response by 20 August. Beijing's latest proposals for the embassy have sparked concerns that its location at Royal Mint Court, near London's financial district, could pose an espionage risk.
Local residents are also concerned that it could pose a security risk to them, sparking widespread demonstrations. The BBC has contacted the Chinese embassy in London for comment.
Redactions and Security Walls
A final decision on the controversial proposals is expected by 9 September. In a letter seen by the PA news agency, Ms Rayner, who is responsible for planning decisions, asks the planning consultants representing the Chinese embassy to explain why drawings of the proposed site have been blacked out. Copies of the letter were also sent to the Home Office and the Foreign Office.
The Home Office has reportedly requested that a new ‘hard perimeter’ be erected around the embassy building to prevent ‘unsupervised public access’, a measure that could require a separate planning application. Some commentators are concerned that the Royal Mint Court site could allow China to penetrate the UK's financial system by tapping into fibre optic cables that carry critical data for firms in the City of London.
Hong Kong pro-democracy activists also fear that Beijing could use the large embassy to intimidate or even abduct political opponents. Last month, the UK condemned cash bounties offered by Hong Kong authorities for information leading to the detention of pro-democracy activists in the UK.
Critics of the government have accused Labour of complacency. One said: “Labour’s scramble to appease Xi Jinping’s demands for a new embassy demonstrates a failure to protect our citizens. They’ve deluded themselves for so long, only to realise we were right to be cautious.”
China’s Response 🇨🇳
Responding to security concerns earlier this week, the Chinese embassy told the BBC that it was "committed to promoting knowledge and understanding between the Chinese and British peoples, as well as establishing mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries. The new embassy will help us better fulfil such duties."
China bought the former Royal Mint Court site for £255 million in 2018. If the complex goes ahead, its 20,000-square-metre footprint will make it Europe's largest embassy. The project includes a cultural centre and accommodation for 200 staff, but plans also show rooms with no identified use, including some in the basement behind security doors.
Political Background
Tower Hamlets Council initially rejected Beijing's application for the embassy in 2022 over safety and security concerns. In August 2024, a month after Labour came to power, the application was resubmitted. On 23 August, Sir Keir Starmer held his first talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, after which Sir Keir revealed that President Xi had raised the embassy issue.
Ms Rayner has since ‘called in’ the application, taking the decision out of the council's hands amid government attempts to engage with China after a cooling of relations during the final years of Conservative rule. Senior ministers have indicated they are in favour of the scheme, provided minor changes are made.
