The UK is expected to approve a 'mega' Chinese embassy in London despite objections
ABC News • • world
Key Points:
- The UK government is expected to approve a large new Chinese embassy near London’s financial district, despite longstanding concerns over potential espionage and security risks linked to its proximity to sensitive data cables.
- Critics, including lawmakers and Chinese dissidents, fear the embassy could be used for surveillance, intimidation, and economic espionage, highlighting the site’s closeness to underground fiber optic cables carrying critical financial information.
- The decision, delayed multiple times amid allegations of Chinese spying and political interference, is anticipated before Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s upcoming visit to China, marking the first such trip by a British leader since 2018.
- China purchased the Royal Mint Court site in 2018 for £225 million, but planning approval was stalled
