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London: Protesters gather outside the Chinese Embassy
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London: Protesters gather outside the Chinese Embassy
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Chinese officials have resubmitted plans for a “super embassy” miles away from Westminster in an early test of the new Government’s approach to China.
Beijing’s plans for a huge embassy on the site of the former Royal Mint near the Tower of London were rejected in December 2022.
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But in documents lodged with Tower Hamlets council, representatives for the Chinese embassy said this was “without merit” and had “no basis in planning policy”.
It is urging officials to reconsider its planning application, which is unchanged from the one that was rejected two years ago.
Beijing did not appeal the initial rejection, missing the six-month window it had in which to do so.
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Former Tory MP Tobias Ellwood said: "There is no justification for any embassy to jump in size ten-fold unless they were attempting to expand competences well beyond the norms of routine diplomacy – which no doubt would include clandestine activity.
"Given China’s advancing influence in global affairs, as it challenges America’s dominance economically, technologically and militarily it’s increasingly important we retain a fair and transparent relationship with China – which includes calling Beijing out on behaviour that does not meet international norms."
The long wait to re-submit its plans has led to speculation that Beijing is responding to the change in government.
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Initial plans for a circa 620,000 sq ft diplomatic outpost were filed in 2021. As well as an embassy, the site would also contain offices, 225 homes and a “cultural exchange” building.
It would sit three miles east of Westminster, and be more than 10 times the size of China’s existing base at Portland Place in Marylebone.
The Chinese government bought the listed site for more than ￡255m in 2018.
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: “China doesn’t do anything by coincidence. China are now going to try it on with the Labour government, to see if it can be persuaded into giving them the embassy it wants.”
Proposals for the “super embassy” faced strong opposition from MPs and local residents.
The council received 51 objections to the initial proposals, citing safety and security concerns as well as the potential risk of protests in the area.
Former Tory MP Tim Loughton, who had sanctions imposed on him in 2021 by Beijing, said: “Yet again the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Government think they are above the law, oblivious to the resounding rejection of their original embassy planning application.
“The CCP has repeatedly been found out for abusing their diplomatic status to promote private police stations to enforce their own version of justice against opponents in a sovereign state; for inveigling spies even into the heart of our democracy and launching cyber attacks against MPs and ministers including me.
“Their plans to expand their embassy footprint are a blatant attempt to expand their malign activities against the UK and the West and need to be resolutely booted out as they were before.”
While it will be up to Tower Hamlets to review the plans for the “super embassy”, the project’s significance means the Government will likely face pressure from Beijing on the issue.
China accused the former government of failing to meet its diplomatic obligations when the plans were initially rejected.
Sir Iain said the revived plans should be rejected once more.
He said: “If [China] wants an embassy it should be away from the main part of the city, as the US has done and others are doing.”
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China's plans for a giant new embassy opposite the Tower of London were unanimously rejected in 202 (Image: GETTY/CBRE)
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A spokesman for Tower Hamlets Council said: “A new planning and listed building consent application has been submitted to develop an embassy on the site of Royal Mint Court.
“The planning team are reviewing the application and public consultation has commenced. At this stage we do not have a target committee date.”
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Foreign minister David Lammy pledged to carry out a “full audit” of the UK’s ties with China as part of a reset of relations.
Tensions between the UK and China are at a high. In May, the UK said China was likely behind a hack on the Ministry of Defence, which Beijing denied.