China has issued a stark warning that Britain will face unspecified consequences unless it immediately approves Beijing’s controversial plans for what would become Europe’s largest embassy, escalating a diplomatic row over the delayed decision.
The threat emerged on Friday after the UK government pushed back its ruling on the massive complex near the Tower of London for a second time, extending the deadline to 10 December amid lingering security and transparency concerns.
Lin Jian, spokesman for China’s foreign affairs ministry, launched a scathing attack on Britain’s handling of the application, accusing ministers of acting in bad faith whilst breaking contractual obligations and previous commitments.
‘Grave Concern’ From Beijing
Speaking at a regular press conference in Beijing, Lin expressed what he termed grave concern and strong dissatisfaction over the latest postponement of a project first proposed seven years ago.
“The British side has shown no sense of contractual obligation, breaking promises and acting in bad faith,” the spokesman declared. “It has repeatedly delayed approval under various pretexts and arbitrarily imposed additional conditions, resulting in the increasing complexity and politicisation of the approval process.”
Lin accused the UK of constantly complicating the matter by linking the embassy project with other unrelated bilateral issues, despite London’s stated desire to improve relations with Beijing.
“That goes entirely against the UK’s commitments and previous remarks about improving China-UK relations,” he stated. “We once again call on the UK to fulfil its obligation and honour its commitments at once, otherwise the consequences arising therefrom shall be borne by the UK side.”
The strongly worded statement represents Beijing’s most explicit threat yet over the embassy saga, which has become entangled in broader tensions between the two nations over espionage allegations, cyber attacks and China’s treatment of ethnic minorities.
Downing Street Hits Back
Number 10 swiftly rejected China’s claims about commitments or assurances, suggesting Beijing had mischaracterised previous discussions between the two governments.
“We do not recognise any claims of assurances, and I can’t explain the statement they’ve set out,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman declared.
The spokesman emphasised that protecting Britain’s national security remained the government’s paramount duty, whilst stressing the planning process operated independently from wider political considerations.
“In terms of the planning process, as set out yesterday, this is a decision that is independent of the rest of government,” he explained, declining to comment further on a matter being determined by the housing department.
Seven-Year Saga
China purchased the Royal Mint Court site for £255 million in 2018, intending to transform the historic 5.5-acre complex near the Tower of London into a diplomatic campus spanning 20,000 square metres.
If approved, the development would dwarf China’s Washington embassy and exceed even America’s London mission in size, establishing Beijing’s largest diplomatic footprint in Europe.
The proposed complex includes extensive office space, a large basement area, accommodation for 200 staff members, and a new tunnel connecting separate buildings on the embassy grounds. Plans also feature a public square and cultural centre providing access to preserved remains of a medieval Cistercian abbey.
Tower Hamlets Council initially rejected the application in 2022 over safety and security concerns, voting unanimously against planning officials’ recommendation to approve. Beijing resubmitted revised plans one month after Labour’s election victory last year, prompting the government to take control of the decision-making process from local authorities.
Security Fears Mount
The pending decision has attracted intense scrutiny from security services, parliamentarians and local residents who harbour serious concerns about the location, scale and design of the proposed facility.
Intelligence agencies and security experts warn the site’s proximity to the City of London could enable Chinese operatives to tap into fibre optic cables carrying vast quantities of sensitive financial data from Britain’s banking and commercial hub.
Former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove urged the government to reject the plans, telling LBC that sensitive communications cables likely run close to the site. “We shouldn’t allow the Chinese to have an embassy on top of them,” he cautioned.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy wrote to Housing Secretary Steve Reed arguing that approving the application was not in Britain’s long-term interest, warning it could create a hub for expanded intelligence gathering and intimidation operations.
Local residents have expressed fears about becoming targets for surveillance or facing disruption from large-scale protests outside the complex. The site currently includes 100 leasehold homes originally built for key workers when the Crown still owned the land, with those residents now finding themselves under Chinese superior landlordship.
Xi Raised Issue Personally
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer revealed last year that Chinese President Xi Jinping personally raised the embassy matter during their first telephone conversation in August, shortly after Labour took power.
Speaking in November, Starmer acknowledged Xi’s intervention whilst emphasising the need to follow proper legal processes. You raised the Chinese embassy building when we spoke on the telephone, and we have since taken action by calling in that application,” the Prime Minister told China’s leader. “Now we have to follow the legal process and timeline.”
The acknowledgement suggests Beijing views the embassy decision as a barometer of Britain’s broader approach to bilateral relations under the new Labour government, which has signalled interest in resetting economic ties whilst maintaining robust positions on security matters.
Transparency Demands
Housing Secretary Steve Reed indicated he expected to see complete, unredacted plans for the proposed embassy before reaching a final determination, after previous submissions contained sections greyed out and marked as redacted for security reasons.
The opacity surrounding certain design elements has fuelled suspicions about Beijing’s true intentions for the sprawling complex, particularly given concerns about basement facilities and tunnel systems that could potentially house sophisticated surveillance equipment.
China has shown utmost sincerity and patience throughout recent rounds of communication seeking early approval, according to Lin’s statement, whilst characterising British behaviour as demonstrating a total lack of contractual spirit, credibility and ethics.
Political Pressure Intensifies
Both Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties have urged the government to throw out China’s application outright rather than continuing to delay a decision on what they view as an unacceptable security risk.
The Metropolitan Police initially raised significant concerns about the proposal before reportedly withdrawing objections following discussions with government officials, a reversal that has prompted questions about political pressure on law enforcement.
Tower Hamlets Council acknowledged it was no longer in a position to present evidence against the scheme during a recent public inquiry, despite local residents maintaining fierce opposition to the development.
The standoff highlights the delicate balancing act facing Labour ministers who seek expanded trade and investment from China whilst confronting mounting evidence of Beijing’s espionage activities targeting British institutions, critical infrastructure and sensitive technologies.
With the December deadline approaching, Starmer’s government must weigh whether economic opportunities justify the potential security compromises, or whether Britain should join allies in taking a harder line against Chinese diplomatic expansion in strategically sensitive locations.
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