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    China revives plan for 'super embassy' in London after Labour election victory
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    China revives plan for ‘super embassy’ in London after Labour election victory

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    1. TheTelegraph on

      ***The Telegraph reports:***

      Beijing has revived plans to [build a “super embassy”](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/08/10/beijing-gives-up-plan-chinese-super-embassy-tower-bridge/) just miles from Westminster in an early test of the new Government’s approach to China.

      Controversial plans for a giant embassy on the site of the former Royal Mint near the Tower of London were resubmitted weeks after the general election. 

      In documents lodged with Tower Hamlets council, representatives for the Chinese embassy said its [rejection of the project in December 2022](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/12/01/chinese-super-embassy-blocked-london-blow-xi-jinping/) was “without merit” and had “no basis in planning policy”. It is urging officials to reconsider its planning application, which is unchanged from the one that was rejected two years ago.

      Beijing did not appeal the initial rejection, missing the six-month window it had in which to do so.

      The long wait to re-submit its plans has led to speculation that Beijing is responding to the change in government.

      **Read more:** [**https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/08/10/china-revives-plan-for-super-embassy-in-london/**](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/08/10/china-revives-plan-for-super-embassy-in-london/)

    2. GodlessCommieScum on

      Haha, they’ve really tried to make this fairly mundane story sound as sinister as possible.

    4. Ok-Importance-6815 on

      ok good we should have a chinese embassy in london so we can talk to the chinese government

    5. what_is_blue on

      This is pretty troubling, given yknow… China’s track record. The beating of pro-democracy protestors in Manchester, hacking the MOD, the secret police stations, harvesting religious prisoners’ organs… basically everything else they ever do.

    7. ueffamafia on

      That area desperately needs regeneration whoever does it, it’s a shameful waste of space in such a great location

    8. VOOLUL on

      It’s pretty wild that we allowed a listed and historically significant building to be bought by China to begin with.

      If we’re gonna be real though, China is significant and so an embassy of that size maybe isn’t so strange. If it’s approved then it should come with a bunch of requirements. Such as underground parking for cars, underground parking for bikes, funding for public transport to and from the embassy and it should be made as green as possible.

    9. Inevitable-High905 on

      Bit ironic, as in the not too distant past the Chinese government used the telegraph to print pro-china articles

    10. New_Teacher_4408 on

      The fact they didn’t appeal it when it was first denied, then left it till a new government took power is a massive red flag.

    11. dumbosshow on

      These comments are making my brain fall out of my ears. I’m not a fan of the CCP but Chinese students, immigrants and tourists are a huge demographic in London, so it makes sense to have a bigger embassy. I cannot understand what kind of extra power people think a bigger embassy will give China over the UK.

    13. Fluffiebunnie on

      What is the Chinese legitimate need for such an embassy that would benefit the UK? Seems disproportional to the amount of Chinese in UK – and I’m sure a lot of the bloated size has to do with 225 homes to built in the embassy. What the hell? Why wouldn’t they live in normal UK flats?

    14. couplereddits on

      I get the concerns people have but as someone who follows geopolitics I see this as a net positive for two reasons

      1. Any type of cooperation with a nuclear superpower is better for world peace. Keeps communication lines open.

      2. This type of action shows that china isn’t all in on Russia and their new multipolar world view.

      I’m not saying this won’t inevitably be used for nefarious reasons, it will. But that’s the game we play.