London council rejects China’s “Super-Embassy” over safety and policing concerns

A local London council has once again rejected China’s proposal for a new “super-embassy,” citing concerns about its potential impact on “resident safety and policing.” However, campaigners expressed worry that the British government may override this decision in the coming year.

Despite being rejected in 2022 following a strong campaign by rights groups, China has resubmitted its application to build a large new facility in London. The campaigners had warned that the embassy would enable espionage and “long-arm” law enforcement, as reported by Radio Free Asia.

Tower Hamlets Borough Council rejected the application to redevelop a large complex of historic buildings, located just 5 kilometres (3 miles) from Westminster and formerly owned by the Royal Mint before being acquired by the Chinese government six years ago, for the second time on Monday.

A council spokesperson stated, “The committee discussed a range of concerns raised by objectors, ward members, and committee members. It was decided to reject the application due to worries about the impact on resident and tourist safety, heritage, police resources, and highway safety, given the area’s already congested nature.”

At Monday’s meeting, London’s Metropolitan Police cautioned that establishing a Chinese Embassy at that location would significantly affect policing and public safety, according to the report.

In a letter dated November 14 and posted on the Tower Hamlets planning applications website, Jon Savell, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Special Operations, stated, “Policing the proposed embassy would require officers to be reassigned from frontline duties to manage both spontaneous and planned protests at this site.”

He also warned that “Protesters spilling over onto the streets would obstruct the roads, making it difficult to ensure their safety without closing roads, which would lead to increased disruption for the community and businesses.”

Overseas rights groups, concerned about a rise in Chinese infiltration and espionage targeting Tibetans, Uyghurs, Hong Kongers, and pro-democracy activists in the UK, have urged the British government to reject the proposal.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy described the plan as “a high-quality development scheme” and expressed that the decision was “deeply disappointing.”

In a statement on the embassy’s official website, the spokesperson said, “Host countries have an international duty to support and facilitate the construction of diplomatic mission premises. We hope the UK will fulfill this responsibility.”

Jason Chao, director of Hong Kongers in Britain, also addressed the meeting, warning that China often uses advanced surveillance technologies, such as facial recognition, to monitor critics of the Chinese Communist Party, according to Radio Free Asia report.

He expressed concerns that, given China’s history of human rights abuses, invasive surveillance, and suppression of dissidents abroad, the proposed new Chinese Embassy could pose a risk to the privacy and safety of nearby residents and workers.

In a subsequent interview with RFA Cantonese, Chao revealed that local residents had been discouraged from attending an exhibition about the planned embassy due to strict security measures, including the recording of visitors’ IDs or passport numbers. “People were concerned about security and felt uncomfortable with the amount of information being collected before they were allowed to attend the exhibition,” he said.

The UK government is set to hold a Local Inquiry hearing on February 11, 2025, where councillors will present their objections to the proposal. However, Chao noted that their ability to influence the outcome may be limited. “It’s clear that future decisions will be influenced, at least in part, by politics,” he said, adding that local residents now fear the government may push the plan through despite their objections.