Starmer ‘set to approve controversial super-size Chinese embassy’ despite espionage concerns
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to officially approve a new 20,000 square meter Chinese embassy in central London despite spying concerns, according to reports.
The Prime Minister has reportedly been given the green light by MI5 and MI6. Times Sources informed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not raise any official objection to the plan.
The deadline for the decision has been extended until December 10, and both ministries representing the security services will submit their responses to the government in the coming days.
Starmer plans to travel to China in January or February next year for his first bilateral visit, as Britain seeks to strengthen economic and diplomatic relations with Beijing. But sources said Guard It was stated that this visit was contingent on the embassy’s planning proposals being given the green light next month.
A Whitehall source said the embassy’s approval was likely to be a “formality”.
The row over the embassy comes amid ongoing unrest following the collapse of a spy case in China and warnings from MI5 about the threat posed by the communist state to the UK’s national security, adding to the difficulties for the government as it seeks to ease tensions with Beijing.
The ambassadorial bids were rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022 and the Chinese chose not to object.
But Beijing resubmitted the application two weeks after Labour’s election victory last year and the plans were then “called in” for ministers to make the final decision.
On Tuesday, security minister Dan Jarvis said the government would not tolerate “covert and calculated” attempts by China to interfere in Britain’s sovereign affairs, following an MI5 warning about espionage threats.
MPs, colleagues and parliamentary staff were warned on Tuesday of suspected Chinese espionage through bounty hunters recruited by the security service.
Mr Jarvis told the House of Commons that MI5 had told him China was trying to “recruit and train” individuals with access to sensitive information, often masquerading through fake companies and headhunters.
The minister announced a package of measures to eliminate the threats and announced that the government had launched an “espionage action plan”.
An embassy spokesman said China denied the allegations and made “strong statements” to Downing Street about the warning.
The spokesman described the warnings as “completely fabricated and malicious slander”, adding: “We call on the UK side to immediately stop this spontaneously staged charade of false accusations and self-aggrandizement, and stop moving down the wrong path of undermining China-UK relations.”
As part of measures to tackle risk, the government said £170 million would be used to upgrade the encrypted technology civil servants use to protect sensitive work.
A further £130 million will be invested to help counter-terrorism police enforce the National Security Act and to fund work to help businesses protect their intellectual property.
Mr Jarvis said ministers had also launched “a range of preventive security campaigns” coordinated by the Defending Democracy Taskforce, helping those involved in politics “recognise, resist and report suspected state threat activity”.
This will include “special security briefings” for devolved governments and political parties by the end of the year, and new security guidance in January for all candidates for the upcoming May elections.
The decision to allow the embassy will likely spark political backlash. In recent months the Conservative Party has pressured Labor to place China in the advanced tier of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs).
Earlier this week, Shadow Home Secretary Alicia Kearns said: “Instead of the communications plan announced today and private meetings behind closed doors, we call on the government to place China in the advanced tier of the Firs plan.”
He also pressured the government to reject the proposed embassy in London or demand that the Chinese government pay “to have sensitive underground cables routed from here to somewhere else.”
Mr Jarvis said No 10 was “looking closely at whether further additions to the enhanced level are necessary”.
He added that the decision regarding the Chinese embassy would be made by housing minister Steve Reed in a “quasi-judicial capacity”.
The Liberal Democrats’ home affairs spokeswoman Lisa Smart said the plan alone was “not enough” and also called for the proposed embassy near Tower Bridge to be rejected.
