China has issued a sharp warning to the UK, saying there will be “consequences” after the British government delayed its decision on Beijing’s plan to build a huge new embassy in London.
The government confirmed this week that the decision — already postponed once — has been pushed back again, this time to 10 December.
Beijing’s foreign ministry blasted the delay, accusing the UK of “politicizing” the project and going back on its word about improving bilateral relations.
“The UK has repeatedly postponed approval, using various excuses and linking the project to other issues,” said foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian. “That completely goes against the UK’s previous commitments. We urge the UK to honour its obligations, or bear the consequences.”
UK pushes back
Downing Street quickly rejected Beijing’s criticism. “We don’t recognise any claims of commitments or assurances,” said the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson, stressing that “protecting the UK’s national security is our first duty.”
The spokesperson also emphasized that the planning process for the embassy site is handled independently by the housing department and is not influenced by wider government policy.
Background to the dispute
China bought Royal Mint Court, a historic site near the Tower of London, for £255 million in 2018. At roughly 20,000 square metres, the proposed complex would be the largest Chinese embassy in Europe.
Plans include offices, housing for about 200 staff, a large basement area, and even a new tunnel linking parts of the compound.
However, the project has been surrounded by controversy. Tower Hamlets Council initially rejected it in 2022 due to security and safety concerns, but the case was later taken over by the national housing department after China resubmitted its application.
Opponents worry the embassy’s location — close to key financial and communications infrastructure — could pose security risks, with fears that it might provide opportunities for espionage or data interception.
Tensions over secret plans
The first delay in the government’s decision came after then–Housing Secretary Angela Rayner raised questions about why parts of China’s planning documents were blacked out.
China’s representatives said they did not believe it was “necessary or appropriate” to share the full internal layout.
Rayner extended the consultation deadline to 21 October, allowing more time for responses from the Metropolitan Police, local residents, and Chinese officials.
After Rayner’s resignation last month, her successor Steve Reed granted another extension, pushing the decision to 10 December.
Ongoing discussions
The Foreign Office and Home Office are still in talks with China over plans to consolidate its existing diplomatic sites across London into the new complex. Both departments have asked the housing ministry not to make a final decision until those discussions are concluded.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that Chinese President Xi Jinping personally raised the embassy issue during their first phone call last August.
“President Xi mentioned the embassy plans when we spoke,” Starmer said last November. “We’ve since called in the application — but we have to follow the proper legal process and timeline.”
Meanwhile, opposition parties including the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have called on the government to reject the application altogether. Photo by Chmee2, Wikimedia commons.