The UK government has pushed back a final ruling on China's controversial plans for a massive new embassy in London until next January, a date that coincides with Prime Minister Keir Starmer's anticipated diplomatic trip to Beijing.
Security Services Give Green Light
Ministers are expected to approve the application for the diplomatic complex at Royal Mint Court, after formal submissions from the Home Office and Foreign Office raised no security objections. A government spokesperson stated that consolidating China's seven current diplomatic sites in the capital into one 20,000 square metre location near Tower Bridge offers clear security benefits.
The security services have reportedly signalled to ministers that they can manage the risks associated with what would become China's largest diplomatic outpost worldwide. The final planning permission decision, now deferred for a third time, is set for 20 January.
Starmer's First Visit as PM
The new deadline aligns with when Keir Starmer is scheduled to travel to China for bilateral talks, marking the first visit by a British prime minister since Theresa May's trip in 2018. In a recent speech, Starmer argued for a consistent and realistic approach to China, rejecting the previous shifts between a "golden age" and an "ice age" in relations.
He described China as a nation of "immense scale, ambition and ingenuity," advocating for a response "grounded in strength, clarity and sober realism."
Local Opposition and Government Assurance
The proposed embassy has faced fierce opposition from local residents and campaigners, concerned about Beijing's human rights record. Several protests have been held outside the site in recent months.
In a letter released by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed their departments had thoroughly considered all aspects of the proposal. They emphasised working with police to address national security while acknowledging the importance of functional diplomatic premises.
China purchased the Royal Mint Court site for £255 million in 2018, but plans stalled after Tower Hamlets Council refused planning permission in 2022. The previous Conservative government declined to intervene, but the Labour administration "called in" the decision soon after taking power last summer, taking it out of the council's hands.
A government spokesperson confirmed that an independent planning decision will be made by the relevant secretary of state in due course.
