Starmer expected to approve China’s ‘mega’ embassy in London

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British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to approve the establishment of China’s controversial “huge” embassy near the Tower of London, despite increasing tension in relations between the two countries.

While a final decision has not been made, Starmer is likely to approve the embassy, ​​according to a government insider.

His government has been keen to boost trade between the UK and China, but relations have become increasingly strained over concerns about Beijing’s efforts to spy on Britain.

The UK government warned China on Monday that it would never accept attempts to “interfere in our sovereign affairs” after MI5 alerted MPs that Beijing’s intelligence services were trying to recruit people to work in parliament.

No 10 officials said they could not comment on the decision regarding the new embassy proposed by China, earmarked for the former site of the Royal Mint, because it is a formal part of a quasi-judicial process.

Conservative politicians have criticized the planned site, claiming that as Europe’s largest embassy it would become a spy hub for Beijing.

Concerns have also been raised about sensitive data cables running under the site from the City of London.

The government submitted a planning request to build the embassy last year, shortly after coming to power, and postponed making a decision until next month.

The Times first reported that Starmer was expected to approve the Chinese embassy. She also said that Britain’s security services, MI5 and MI6, were not expected to lodge objections through the Home Office or Foreign Office, as long as necessary measures were taken to protect national security.

This could help pave the way for Starmer to greenlight the project. He could visit China early next year, in what would be the first visit by a British Prime Minister since Theresa May in 2018, although officials said no final decision had been made yet.

The UK also wants to rebuild its embassy in Beijing, but is struggling to gain approval from the Chinese government.

Sir Richard Moore, the former head of MI6, told the Financial Times this month that he believed there had to be a compromise, saying: “They clearly need an embassy. We need an embassy too.”

The UK’s relations with China have come under scrutiny after the collapse of a case in September against two Britons accused of spying for Beijing.

Prosecutors blamed Starmer’s government for the failure of the case, saying officials refused to describe China as an “enemy” or “threat to national security” in court evidence.

The government denied sabotaging the case. The two accused Britons, Christopher Cash and Christopher Perry, denied any wrongdoing.

China’s current embassy in London, in response to MI5’s warning to members of parliament, accused Britain of “malicious fabrication and slander” and warned the British government to “stop proceeding down the wrong path to undermine China-UK relations.”