Politicians and residents to protest planned Chinese ‘mega-embassy’ in London
Politicians and residents are expected to gather on Saturday to voice their opposition to China’s proposed “mega embassy” in central London.
The government is facing growing calls to reject Beijing’s embassy at the Royal Mint over security concerns.
According to The Telegraph, plans for the site near the Tower of London include 208 hidden rooms and a secret room.
Critics fear secret rooms in the basement of the site could be used to detain dissidents fleeing the Chinese state to the UK.
Meanwhile, the secret room will be located close to data cables said to be crucial for financial sector communications between the City of London and Canary Wharf.
High-profile political figures such as former Conservative Party ministers Tom Tugendhat and Sir Iain Duncan Smith have taken part in previous similar demonstrations over the plans.
A group of residents are also strongly opposed to the plans and are expected to protest on Saturday.
The Metropolitan Police placed a number of conditions on the protest in advance.
Must stay in a designated area near the embassy and finish by 5pm.
Ministers have promised to decide by January 20 whether to grant planning permission for the Chinese embassy.
Before then, they insisted it would not be appropriate for them to comment on the matter.
Ciaran Martin, former director general of the National Cyber Security Centre, suggested Britain’s spies may have already thoroughly scrutinized the plans.
Writing in The Times, he said: “I don’t know what the government will decide.
“But let’s say the security forces sign the site but the Government bows to pressure and rejects their advice.
“Then the Chinese come back with a new plan, sparking a new controversy (which it undoubtedly will).
“If this time we do not trust the professional and operational judgment of our own security services, who should we use to evaluate the new proposal?”
Mr Martin also disputed concerns about secret rooms, describing them as “secret facilities”, adding: “This is where the secret business happens, which is the lifeblood of foreign and security policy.”
