Britain has postponed for a third time its decision on whether to approve China’s highly contentious plan to build what would be Europe’s largest embassy in London—prompting Beijing to warn that the renewed delay risks further eroding trust between the two countries.
China has been seeking to redevelop a historic, two-century-old site near the Tower of London, but the project has been stalled for three years amid strong opposition from local residents, lawmakers, and Hong Kong pro-democracy activists in the UK. Persistent concerns that the new embassy could serve as a hub for espionage have led some British and U.S. politicians to call for the government to reject the proposal outright.
DECISION DELAYED OVER SECURITY ASSESSMENT
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the postponement was due to the ministries submitting views on the “specific” security implications of approving the embassy—concerns that must be fully evaluated before a final decision is made.
China’s embassy in London condemned the latest setback.
“We strongly urge the UK side to approve our planning application swiftly to prevent further damage to mutual trust and cooperation,” a spokesperson said.
Luke de Pulford, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China and a long-time critic of the project, argued that the delay reflects indecision within the government.
“Rather than dragging this out, which will only frustrate Beijing further, the government should simply reject the proposal and move on,” he told.
The timing adds political pressure on Starmer’s administration, coming shortly after officials were accused of downplaying the threat posed by China to national security—following the collapse of a trial involving two British men charged with spying for Beijing.
