Plans for a vast new Chinese embassy complex in central London are facing renewed scrutiny amid revelations about an extensive underground structure whose purpose remains unclear and which lies close to some of Britain’s most sensitive communications infrastructure.
China purchased the former Royal Mint site near the Tower of London in 2018 for £255 million, a move that attracted attention both for its scale and symbolism. At the time, British officials were assured that the site would be used for standard diplomatic purposes. However, planning documents later submitted by Beijing revealed proposals far more ambitious than a conventional embassy.
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At the heart of the controversy is a sprawling subterranean complex beneath the site. According to documents obtained by this newspaper, the plans include more than 200 underground rooms, significantly exceeding what is typically required for diplomatic operations. Key details relating to parts of the basement were redacted from public planning files, citing security concerns.
Among the most sensitive elements is a concealed underground chamber equipped with industrial hot-air extraction systems, located within a metre of fibre-optic cables that carry high-volume financial data to and from the City of London, as well as communications traffic for millions of internet users. Security specialists have warned that the proximity of the structure to this infrastructure could pose risks to national security.
These concerns come against a backdrop of growing anxiety within Britain’s intelligence community about Chinese espionage. Last year, MI5 issued a rare public alert warning that Beijing was conducting espionage operations against Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff “at scale”. U.S. officials have also privately urged the British government to block the project, arguing that the site could function as a major intelligence-gathering hub directed against Western interests.
Planning permission for the embassy has not yet been formally approved. Nevertheless, government sources suggest that approval is likely, potentially ahead of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s planned visit to China later this month.
The prospect of approval has raised political questions within the UK. Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledged a comprehensive review of Britain’s relationship with China, but only limited findings were later published in the government’s National Security Strategy. Critics argue that economic pressures are now driving policy decisions.
Britain’s economy remains fragile, and officials have signaled a desire to attract foreign investment. China has increased its financial footprint in the UK in recent years, purchasing government debt and acquiring stakes in British companies. Analysts note that Beijing has previously used economic leverage to exert political influence abroad.
The issue has also resurfaced following last year’s decision not to prosecute two men accused of spying for China, a move that sources said was influenced by the government’s reluctance to publicly designate Beijing as a hostile power.
Supporters of the embassy project insist that China, like other major powers, is entitled to diplomatic facilities befitting its global status. But critics say the unanswered questions are too significant to ignore.
Why, they ask, were large sections of the plans redacted? Why does an embassy require more than 200 underground rooms? And why would construction involve rebuilding a basement wall directly adjacent to critical communications cables?
Until those questions are addressed transparently, security experts and opposition figures argue, the government should delay approval of the project. As one former intelligence official put it: “If there is nothing to hide, there should be nothing to redact.”
For now, the proposed embassy remains a test case for how Britain balances economic pragmatism with national security in its increasingly complex relationship with China.
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