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UK OKs China’s $312M mega-embassy in London near data cables

/ 03:37/E817
Britain has approved China’s plan to build a 20,000-square-meter “mega” embassy at Royal Mint Court in London, despite security warnings about its proximity to sensitive fiber‑optic cables serving financial firms. The complex would be China’s largest diplomatic outpost in Europe, and critics say the site could expand Beijing’s surveillance reach and raise risks for dissidents living in the UK. The decision follows years of delays and a prior local refusal, highlighting the UK’s push and pull between economic ties with China and national security concerns. Reports citing leaked plans describe a large underground section with 208 rooms, including spaces near telecom infrastructure. Opposition lawmaker Alicia Kearns called it a potential “launchpad” for economic warfare, while MI5 has not filed a formal planning objection even as it warns China poses daily security threats. The move also appears tied to reciprocal diplomacy: the UK wants approval to upgrade its own embassy in Beijing, and officials fear a rejection could damage trade relations as exports to China fall.

Britain’s government has approved plans for China to build a 20,000-square-meter “mega” embassy at Royal Mint Court in London, close to the City’s financial district and nearby fiber-optic infrastructure. China bought the site for about $312 million in 2018, and the project would become Beijing’s largest diplomatic outpost in Europe. The decision lands amid warnings from lawmakers, residents, and dissidents-in-exile who say the location and scale could increase surveillance and security risks. Reports citing leaked designs also describe a substantial underground complex, including rooms alleged to sit within feet of sensitive cables carrying email and financial data. The UK is weighing security concerns against trade ties and diplomatic reciprocity, including Britain’s interest in upgrading its own embassy in Beijing.

Topics Covered

  • 🔬 Why the embassy’s proximity to fiber-optic cables raises security alarms
  • 🏛️ The UK government’s planning approval and the politics behind the delays
  • 💼 Trade, diplomacy, and the leverage of embassy upgrades in Beijing and London
  • 🧭 Risks cited by Hong Kong and pro-democracy activists living in exile
  • 📊 What MI5 and Parliament have said about China-linked intelligence activity

Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human reviewed. View our AI Transparency Policy at NeuralNewscast.com.

  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (00:04) - Israel targets UNRWA sites in east Jerusalem
  • (00:04) - UK approves China’s mega-embassy at Royal Mint Court
  • (00:12) - Conclusion
UK OKs China’s $312M mega-embassy in London near data cables

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