Britain has delayed for the third time a decision on China’s proposal to build what would be its largest embassy in Europe, drawing a sharp response from Beijing.
China warned on Tuesday that the continued postponement could undermine mutual trust and cooperation between the two nations.
The embassy project, planned for a historic site near the Tower of London, has been stalled for three years due to opposition from residents, lawmakers, and Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners in the UK. Critics fear the complex could be used for surveillance or intelligence operations, echoing similar concerns voiced by some US and British politicians.
Security Review Behind the Delay
According to a letter seen by Reuters, Britain’s Department of Housing will now decide by 10 January instead of 10 December, citing delays in receiving input from the interior and foreign ministries.
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the decision was postponed because those ministries had raised “particular” security issues that needed careful review. “A decision should not be taken until they have been considered,” the spokesperson added.
China’s embassy in London said it “deplored the latest delay”, urging the UK to move forward with the approval process. “We strongly urge the UK side to approve our planning application quickly to avoid further undermining mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides,” the embassy said.
Political Sensitivity and Security Debate
The issue is politically sensitive for Starmer’s government, which has faced criticism for allegedly downplaying Chinese espionage threats. The postponement follows the collapse of a high-profile case against two British men accused of spying for China.
Starmer said on Monday that China poses “national security threats” to the UK but maintained that maintaining strong trade relations remains in Britain’s national interest.
Luke de Pulford, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said the delay was “entirely of the government’s own making.” He added, “Rather than this endless deferral, which will only make Beijing more angry, the government should say no and get it over with.”
Embassy Plans and Ongoing Opposition
China purchased the Royal Mint Court site for the new embassy in 2018, but local councils have repeatedly rejected its planning requests. Opponents argue the site’s location close to key fibre-optic infrastructure raises serious security concerns.
Chinese President Xi Jinping personally urged Starmer last year to intervene in the matter, but with growing scrutiny of China’s global intelligence activities, the embassy’s future remains uncertain.
(with inputs from Reuters)
