Chinese ‘mega embassy’ wins UK approval in London ahead of Starmer’s China visit

The UK government has given greenlight to controversial Chinese mega embassy construction in east London , despite the allies’ objections and rising security concerns.

Local government secretary Steve Reed approved the plans, while ignoring the threats to block the development.

The recent approval has brought the saga to end that has been running over the site at Royal Mint Court since 2018.

As a result of the push, the government could now face a legal battle in the form of judicial review against the project in court waged by the local residents of Royal Mint Court who voice concerns regarding the forced displacement.

Besides the residents, MPs from across the political spectrum also voiced vehement objections against this construction on the grounds of security concerns and risk of espionage, stemming from the specious site and close proximity to data cables.

The controversial proposal includes the construction of 208 secret rooms and a hidden chamber, as reported by The Independent. 

Luke de Pulford, head of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said, “Years of campaigning about the obvious and manifold risks posed by this embassy development have not been enough to outweigh the UK Government’s desire for Beijing’s money.”

According to the former head of GCHQ’s national cybersecurity centre Ciaran Martin, if the mega embassy found posing any security threats to the country, the British intelligence agencies would stop the development.

The greenlight comes as the UK PM Sir Keir Starmer is expected to visit China at the end of January, thereby further strengthening the relations between the countries.

The super embassy has been a key priority in UK-Chinese relations since Xi Jinping first raised the matter in August 2024.