Security committee warns China’s 'Super Embassy' could harm national security
The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) said approving the application was “not in the UK’s long-term interest”
A parliamentary committee has urged a Cabinet minister to block China’s plans for a new London “super embassy”, saying it would harm the UK’s security and economic resilience.
Listen to this article
The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) said approving the application was “not in the UK’s long-term interest”, in a letter to Housing and Planning Secretary Steve Reed.
A decision on whether to approve the proposed site near the Tower of London is expected on Tuesday October 21, although that could be pushed back as Mr Reed indicated on Monday it would come within weeks.
Committee chairman Matt Western MP wrote to Mr Reed saying that the proposed location presents “eavesdropping risks in peacetime and sabotage risks in a crisis” due to its proximity to fibre-optic cables, data centres and telecoms exchanges serving Canary Wharf and the City.
Read more: China obtained ‘extremely secret’ government data, Dominic Cummings claims
Read more: Starmer announces China spy documents will be published as pressure mounts following trial collapse
He also noted reports of plans for basement rooms and tunnels and that the security services have warned that allowing Beijing to set up the biggest embassy in Europe would create a hub for the country to expand its “intelligence gathering and intimidation operations”.
The looming decision on the embassy comes as the Government faced continued pressure over its handling of the collapsed Chinese spying case.
Mr Western said the case is a recent reminder of the scale of China’s alleged illicit activities.
“We urge you to acknowledge that approving this decision is not in the UK’s long-term interest, and the consequences of having such a site will be very difficult to handle if relations with Beijing worsen in future.
“We therefore urge the Government to keep long-term national security at the forefront of its decision-making, and this must be demonstrated in your response to the embassy planning application.
“The UK’s security and economic resilience will be negatively affected if the plans are allowed to proceed as currently proposed.”
Plans for the embassy were rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022, with the Chinese opting not to appeal.
However, Beijing resubmitted the application a fortnight after Sir Keir Starmer’s election victory last year, believing Labour may be more receptive to the application, and the plans were called in so ministers would make the final decision.