China to pause plans of constructing embassy in London

China is going to pause plans of building a new embassy in London in a move that is likely to increase diplomatic tensions between both countries.

Reuters reported, citing sources, that Beijing will miss Thursday's deadline to appeal against the local council's opposition to its plans for a new embassy near the Tower of London after local residents objected.

China will instead seek a promise from the British government to intervene if it resubmits a planning application, the people said, declining to be identified due to the sensitivity of the talks.

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There is concern amid British circles that UK's plans to rebuild the embassy in Beijing could be affected in a tit-for-tat response unless China is allowed to relocate its UK embassy.

The Chinese foreign ministry has released a statement and has urged the UK government to meet its "international obligation" to help it build a new embassy and said China wants to find a solution "on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit".

"Open and transparent"

A UK government spokesperson said its planning system is "open and transparent".

"Planning matters are routinely decided by local councils and applicants have the option to appeal decisions if they wish to do so," the spokesperson said.

China first announced plans in 2018 to build a new London embassy in keeping with its rising ambitions, buying land on the former site of the Royal Mint - the maker of British coins - for about 250 million pounds ($318 million).

China had plans to build a 700,000-square-foot embassy. The embassy would be China's biggest mission in Europe. It would almost be twice the size of the Chinese embassy in Washington.

But while unelected planning officers in London's Tower Hamlets council accepted the proposal, locally elected councillors overruled it in late 2022, rejecting it on security grounds and the impact on residents.

A spokeswoman for Tower Hamlets council said the Chinese government had until Thursday to appeal the decision, and no prior notice of plans to appeal had been given, something that would be needed if it wanted to overturn the decision.

The spokeswoman said that the Chinese government could submit a new application at a later date in order to use the site for an embassy in future.

Chinese officials have expressed frustration with the British government over its failure to help secure planning permission at official-level meetings, people involved in those talks have previously told Reuters.

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