On Monday, China criticised the United Kingdom (UK) for refusing to allow it to open a “super embassy” opposite the Tower of London, claiming it is violating both international and domestic laws.
Plans for Beijing’s giant embassy in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets were suddenly dismissed by local councillors this week due to concerns that it would pose a security risk to local residents.
Even until as late as Wednesday, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets had indicated that it was getting ready to approve the proposals put together by the embassy’s architect, David Chipperfield, as the initiative was “generally in accordance” with the area’s development plan.
Keeping this in mind, councillors said that officers had “recommended that planning permission and listed building consent are granted.”
Rishi Sunak declares that the “golden era” in relations between the UK and China “is over”. So why is Britain still giving China £51.7million in foreign aid?pic.twitter.com/z1sbsQutR3
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) November 30, 2022
However, during a late-night meeting that continued into Thursday, the council was persuaded to restrict the proposal on the basis that it posed a risk to the safety of the residents and would strain traffic in the densely populated part of east London, which is located close to the capital’s financial district and only a block from Tower Bridge.
A council spokesperson told CNN that the committee had “resolved to reject the application due to concerns over the impact on resident and tourist safety, heritage, police resources and the congested nature of the area.” They added that the application is still pending a final decision, as it has now been referred to the mayor.
The council’s decision has put the UK government in a tight spot with China, as it has the power to overrule the local council’s decision; it could also refrain from intervening.
Responding to the issue, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday that China had purchased the new property in order to “improve the working and living conditions of the diplomatic personnel at the Chinese Embassy in the UK.”
The ministry spokesman said on Wednesday that, “It should be pointed out that host countries have the international obligation to facilitate and support the building of premises of diplomatic missions”.
— Gurbaksh Singh Chahal (@gchahal) December 8, 2022
Noting that the step was “conducted in line with international norms” and was taken after receiving consent from the UK government, the spokesperson added that the new embassy’s planning application had “been carried out on the basis of local laws and regulations,” including “thorough technical analyses on security and other issues.”
“Host countries have the international obligation to facilitate and support the building of premises of diplomatic missions,” they declared, calling on the UK to “fulfil its relevant obligation.”
Simon Cheng, the founder of Hongkongers in Britain and a resident of Tower Hamlets, said he was happy with the council’s decision.
The Chinese government has reportedly bought the 700,000-square-foot plot for £255 million in the year 2018. It plans to build a new embassy, which will be 10 times the size of its current facility located near Paddington.
— Gurbaksh Singh Chahal (@gchahal) December 8, 2022
Likewise, local residents are also reportedly happy with the council’s decision.
Pointing to concerns about Chinese surveillance on the lives of those who fled Beijing’s crackdown, Cheng told The Guardian he believed that “the Hongkonger community, and many others – Uyghur Muslims, Tibetans, and even our Chinese community – will be happy about this.”
“We definitely don’t want to see the authoritarian state with upgraded facilities and to impose a greater national security reach to the community who should be with the democracy and freedom,” he opined.
In a list of concerns submitted to the council, resident groups also highlighted that it was an “inappropriate location for any embassy,” as they would need to protect 14th-century ruins on the premises.
They also expressed concerns about the “huge impact of protests on the surrounding area” and fears that the “premises would be turned into a fortress and would be a terrorist target.”
Embassy spokesperson on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wrongful remarks related to Chinahttps://t.co/D27CjTxpL0 pic.twitter.com/kP3Isyaf3P
— Chinese Embassy in UK (@ChineseEmbinUK) November 29, 2022
It has also been claimed that the construction of the embassy alone could generate 173,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.
China’s proposed plans for the super embassy included the partial demolition and restoration of Grade II-listed buildings to make room for hundreds of staff and a cultural exchange centre, and CCTV coverage around the site.
The proposed 700,000-square-foot embassy was to be located on the former Royal Mint site Whitechapel. The property was previously owned by the British monarchy and once housed the facility that manufactured the UK’s coinage.
Conservative Councillor Peter Golds, who was among those who opposed the proposal, told ITV News that the proposal was “appalling.”
“This is a site that personifies our country. I’m looking at the Tower of London and Tower Bridge approach. Any number of tourists come here day in and day out to see Tower Bridge and the Tower of London,” he stated.
“What we as a country shouldn’t want people to see is a historic building with demonstators standing outside flying a red flag! Can you imagine the French putting an embassy next to the Arc de Triomphe - of course you can’t!” he argued.
Beijing spent north of $300 million to buy the property in 2018. During a ceremony celebrating the deal at the time, then-Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming expressed hope that the two sides would “work together to write a new chapter for the China-UK ‘golden era.’
Last week, however, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared that their Golden Era is now “over,” in yet another sign of fraying relations with China.
During the annual Lord Mayor’s Banquet, the British leader took aim at China’s policy of “conspicuously competing for global influence using all the levers of state power.” In this regard, Sunak said he will take a “longer-term view” to strengthen the UK’s “resilience” and protect its “economic security.”
“Let’s be clear, the so-called ‘golden era’ is over, along with the naïve idea that trade would automatically lead to social and political reform,” he declared.