The Chinese embassy in London has criticized the UK government for the delay in granting a permit for the construction of a large-scale diplomatic compound in the UK, which has faced multiple bureaucratic setbacks since its 2022 application. The project, dubbed a ‘super embassy’ in British media, is set to be the largest such compound in Europe. The UK’s Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government postponed the decision on the application, citing the need for further evaluation.
China’s mission emphasized that it has followed all customary diplomatic practices and provided thorough responses to the UK’s questions, reiterating that the, the UK has an international responsibility to support such projects. On Saturday, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the UK voiced ‘serious concern’ over the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s postponement, stating that Beijing had followed all ‘customary diplomatic practices’ and relevant procedures in its application and had provided comprehensive answers to the questions posed by British officials.
On Friday, the Financial Times reported that Beijing had refused to ‘identify… the rationale and justification’ for the ‘greyed out’ Cultural Exchange Building and Embassy House in the compound layout, despite a request from Housing Secretary Angela Rayner. Chinese officials said Wednesday they did not deem it ‘necessary or appropriate to provide full internal layout plans… in order to understand what has been permitted,’ according to the FT. The Ministry of Housing soon thereafter said it would delay the decision on the application until October 21.
China bought the five-acre Royal Mint Court site near the Tower of London in 2018. Beijing has since sought to build an embassy complex there, which is expected to be ten times larger than the diplomatic mission’s current premises. Aside from the main building, it would encompass offices, 225 homes, and a cultural exchange center, according to media reports. Critics have argued that China could use the ‘super embassy’ for covert surveillance activities. In recent years, London and Beijing have repeatedly traded allegations of espionage.