While politicians raise alarms over China's proposed 'mega embassy' near the Tower of London, the UK's domestic security service MI5 quietly welcomes the prospect. The new facility would consolidate China's seven existing diplomatic sites into one, making it easier for MI5 to monitor activities. A former British intelligence officer noted that 'embassies are less and less relevant' due to modern technology and the nature of the Chinese threat.
The planned embassy at Royal Mint Court will employ over 200 Chinese nationals, including a handful of undeclared officers from China's ministry of state security and military intelligence. These officers will act as 'radars', identifying contacts of potential interest. However, a former MI6 officer argued that engaging in serious espionage will be difficult as the embassy will be a 'magnet for attention and surveillance'. A single site allows MI5 to monitor Chinese officials more effectively.
The development also serves as a psychological warning, subtler than surveillance techniques used by China and Russia. British diplomats in Beijing and Moscow operate on the assumption they are watched 24 hours a day. John Foreman, a former UK defence attache to Moscow, described being tailed constantly and having listening devices pointed at him. The aim, he said, was to pressure people until they lost judgment.
Critics argue the larger size poses key problems. Luke de Pulford of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China said more state employees mean more interference, citing the US decision to shut a Chinese consulate in Houston in 2020. Concerns were also raised about a 'hidden chamber' near high-speed internet cables, but insiders say the full plans were known to security services as part of the planning process.
