Chinese embassy decision will consider ‘all relevant issues’, says minister

Ministers will take “all relevant issues” into account when deciding whether to allow China to build a new “super embassy” in London, the Housing Secretary has said.

Parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy had urged Steve Reed to reject Beijing’s plans to build a new embassy near the Tower of London.

In a letter to the Housing Secretary earlier this month, the committee said the proposed location presented “eavesdropping” and “sabotage” risks because of its proximity to fibre-optic cables, data centres and telecoms exchanges serving Canary Wharf and the City.

The committee added: “The UK’s security and economic resilience will be negatively affected if the plans are allowed to proceed as currently proposed.”

Replying to the committee on Tuesday, Mr Reed declined to comment on the case “due to the role of planning ministers in determining this application”.

He added: “I can, however, offer you and the committee assurance that all relevant issues will be taken into account, and the decision letter will set out full reasoning for the decision.”

Mr Reed had been due to make a decision on Beijing’s application by October 21, but has pushed the deadline back to December 10.

Plans for the embassy were rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022, with the Chinese opting not to appeal.

However, Beijing resubmitted the application a fortnight after Sir Keir Starmer’s election victory last year, believing Labour may be more receptive to the application, and the plans were called in so ministers would make the final decision.