British Prime Minister Keir Starmer intends to approve the construction of a new Chinese embassy in the City of London area in January. This was reported by The Times newspaper, linking the step with preparations for the first visit of the head of the British government to China in eight years.
According to the newspaper, the decision will be possible if the British intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6 do not raise official objections to the project. Downing Street believes that the deployment of all Chinese diplomatic structures in one complex can be justified from the point of view of security and governance.
Beijing plans to build a diplomatic complex on an area of about 2 hectares, acquired back in 2018. The new embassy may become the largest Chinese representative office in Europe, but the project has already caused controversy: the United States has previously expressed concern about possible risks to critical infrastructure in the historic center of London, where construction is planned.
