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The White House has expressed concern with the UK government that it believes China can build an embassy in London and poses risks to the delicate communications infrastructure that security officials serve cities.
“The United States is deeply concerned about providing China with potential access to the delicate communications of one of our closest allies,” said a senior US official.
China is seeking permission to build a new embassy in London at London Mint Court on the edge of London, the financial district of the UK capital. The 20,000 square metres of compound is more than 20 times larger than the current embassy in Beijing in Marylebone, making it Beijing’s largest embassy in Europe.
Some US and UK security authorities have also raised concerns about the planning as they are close to sensitive hubs of critical communication cables.
Sir Richard Dialov, former head of UK confidential information services, told I paper on Sunday that the existence of cable networks raised a “real problem” near the proposed embassy, as China’s intelligence agency could utilize sensitive communication lines “with immunity.”
American officials said Washington expects all decisions to be “after thorough easing, after endorsement and approval by comprehensive experts,” with the company and the UK’s national security interests in mind.
The UK belongs to the 5 Eyes Intelligence-Sharing and Collection Network, including the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In other words, the threat to UK communications is a concern for Washington.
The White House intervention marks a second known example of the Trump administration raising concerns about Britain’s China. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump gave implicit approval to a UK-signed deal that he signed with Mauritius over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands. This was perceived as a threat to China’s security to Diego Garcia, an island atoll where the US and the UK hold joint military bases. He approved the deal despite concerns expressed by some of his officials.
In the UK, the opposition Conservatives urged the Labour government to reject the plan.
Shadow Home secretary Chris Philp said the site purchased by Beijing in 2018 is a “security risk” to the government given that it is close to three data centers near Canary Wharf and the city’s square miles.
“It’s very likely that Chinese people will use it to organize spying. We may even be the Chinese government cracking down on the opposition, running secret police stations in the UK, and rewarding the head of the opposition I’ve met. We shouldn’t give this permission.”
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Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said that if people raise security issues, this will be addressed in the planning process.
The plan was rejected in 2022 by the local Tower Hamlet Borough Council due to security grounds and potential impact on residents. Last year it was called by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner for a review.
The project was revived after personal pressure from Chinese President Xi Jinping over a call with Prime Minister Kiel. China’s Foreign Minister raised the issue with Foreign Secretary David Lamy during his visit to London this year.
Since the UK government took control of China-owned steel factories in the northeastern UK, we believe that recognizing the embassy can soften UK-China relations.
The British Embassy in Washington declined to comment. The US intervention was first reported by the Sunday Times in London.
