City leaders warn against proposed embassy in China

Senior figures at the City of London Corporation have told it AM City their concerns about China’s controversial plans to set up a new embassy on the edge of the Square Mile.

The proposed construction of an embassy on the outskirts of the City of London has sparked concerns over a possible threat to the security of sensitive cables passing beneath the site.

Professor Sophia Economides, head of engineering at Northeastern University London, said AM City that while he could not confirm that the site was unsafe, the location “raised legitimate technical concerns.”

“There are fiber optic cables that run underneath the site… it’s very easy to tap those cables, it’s very easy to see what’s going on – and it won’t be detected,” he said.

The application was initially submitted to Tower Hamlets, the City’s neighboring council.

The City of London has not been involved in the application process but one senior member of the city’s governing authority said it was “very concerned” about the proposed site’s proximity to sensitive cables and critical financial infrastructure, saying “cable issues are a concern and it is a warning that they are putting a lot of effort into developing the site,” adding “you have to wonder why that is.”

‘Major concerns’ about proposed site

Other elected members said that while trade in financial and professional services with China was “mutually beneficial” they had “grave concerns” about the location of the embassy, ​​which was described as a “possible spy stronghold” that could “invite damage” given its proximity to sensitive data cables.

Another source at the Corporation said “I am concerned about the threat from China in general” and added that they also found it “very strange that they clearly wanted the site.”

The source said that “there are colleagues here who are nervous [about the proposed embassy] but there are also colleagues who are of the view that we should do business with China.” They added, “I just wish we were more careful.”

The Labor Party is being urged to block Chinese embassy plans

The city government’s concerns came as senior Tory MPs Alicia Kearns and Tom Tugendhat, accusing them of being spied on by China, called on the government to block an application for a proposed new “mega” embassy near the Tower of London.

In their letter to Keir Starmer, they urged the government to place China in the top tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, putting the country on a par with Russia and Iran.

“Failing to prosecute two men accused of spying for China shows a worrying level of complacency.”

“You have repeatedly expressed your disappointment that this prosecution did not proceed. You now have the opportunity to do what is necessary to protect this country,” they added.

Last weekend, the government postponed its decision on approving a planning application to build a new embassy until December 10, prompting an angry response from Chinese authorities who claimed that the UK would face “consequences” if the embassy was not granted permission.

China slams embassy ‘lies’

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the UK said: “The Chinese government purchased the Royal Mint Court, London in 2018 for use as the new Chinese embassy building. The UK government has given its approval to this. It is now in the process of applying for planning permission.

“The development scheme proposed by China for the new Embassy project is of high quality and has received high recognition from local professional bodies. Its implementation follows local regulations and procedures.

“Claims that China’s new embassy project poses a potential security risk to the UK are baseless and malicious slander, and we firmly oppose them. No rational person with any common sense would believe such lies.”

The City of London Corporation declined to comment.