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    China wants to build a ‘super embassy’ in London next to critical communication cables
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    China wants to build a ‘super embassy’ in London next to critical communication cables

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    45 Comments

    2. CakeAndFireworksDay on

      Is there literally anywhere in London where there aren’t ‘critical communication cables’?

      Furthermore does the Chinese embassy not have to, by design, contain ‘critical communication cables’ that link it directly with both parliament / 10 Downing Street and Beijing??

      Garbage headline…

    5. Wadarkhu on

      Why don’t they just put one in downing street at number 9 and number 11 while they’re at it? /s

    6. technurse on

      Honestly at this point I quite like their brazen approach.

      “Hey, can we spy on you please?”

      It’s not like the fucking 5 eyes aren’t already doing it to us anyway.

    7. SC_W33DKILL3R on

      “Recieved support from cabinet ministers” if true they are idiots.

      For once can we get some politicians, on either side, who actually put the country first.

    8. human_totem_pole on

      We’re not worth spying on anymore. The cables must come from somewhere important.

    10. gadget80 on

      This is a bit stupid to be honest. Everywhere in Central London is near something critical (and Washington and Paris and Beijing) Doesn’t mean you ban embassies. Means you monitor them.

    12. Medium_Situation_461 on

      Just get them to use off of the multiple properties they’ve bought in London that are sitting empty.

    13. Dave_Unknown on

      Surprised they don’t just move into spare office space at mi6 and have done with it tbh.

    14. Fludro on

      Are secret police stations all over the country not enough?

      Does the CCP need a new HQ to co-ordinate the mass harrassment of ex-pats and political dissidents, whilst actively undermining our strategic infrastructure?

      I think they already have plenty enough room to conduct their purposeful unfriendliness.

    15. Pure_Cantaloupe_341 on

      Such a low level journalism.

      > MI5 are reportedly worried about the building’s close proximity to major communication cables, leaving them susceptible to an attack.

      The key word here is “reportedly”.

      Anyway, is there a place in central London which is not “in close proximity to major communication cables”? And if “being in close proximity” is enough to create a plausible risk of attack, it means that whoever uses it doesn’t care about data security in the slightest.

      > Meanwhile counterterror police said its creation was likely to attract protests and could take officers away from other frontline duties.

      This I think is a legitimate concern, as it is very close to a residential area, and yes, the protestors might block the road.

      That being said, the North Korean embassy is literally a house on A406, and I don’t remember it causing any issues.

      If there’s indeed more policing required due to the new Chinese embassy, I think it will be fair to ask them to contribute to the costs.

      > The new super embassy would be just four miles away from the US’s own ‘super embassy’ in Nine Elms, which they opened in 2018.

      This is the most ridiculous part. They are both in London, how much away from each other are they supposed to be?

      And the main thing is that they are within three miles from each other now and were less than a mile away before the US embassy moved to Nine Elms.

      Like really, how is that even can be used as an argument against it?

    17. sjpllyon on

      This would be the same level of stupidity as the Americans allowing China to buy land right next to military bases and other sensitive institutions.

    20. plawwell on

      China is a much more advanced country than Britain so any inward investment should be welcomed. While China continues to grow wealthier, Britain just, well, continues to become a lesser place.

    21. Blank3k on

      Excellent, we need to connect more with our Chinese neighbours, incorporating Huawei into critical infrastructure then deciding it was a bad thing to do must have soured relations somewhat, by any chance would this super embassy have an AI supercomputer built in ?

    23. ThatGuyMaulicious on

      As if we didn’t have enough reason to say no this would undoubtedly put all of NATO in incredible risk. Our people did not vote for this. No one in there right mind would allow a spy intelligence superpower this kind of reach its idiotic.

    24. pepthebaldfraud on

      Good, free movement with China and India would solve all our economic troubles, I hope this is the olive branch that leads to even greater collaboration. America could do it for Silicon Valley, we can as well. China aren’t the enemy

    25. Estimated-Delivery on

      Xi told the PM, ‘don’t worry about the cables, we already know what you’re doing, certainly better than your team of advisors. And we have now turned about 40% of your MPs who report to their Handlers on a weekly basis. Don’t worry. You’ve no secrets from us’

    26. GaulteriaBerries on

      Aside from housing an undercover Chinese police force, coordinate spying/sabotage/espionage/hacking efforts, a base for the coordination of corrupting politicians, etc why do they need a bigger embassy?

    27. Common-Ad6470 on

      Considering that the government are in favour of this (for some strange reason that might involve bribes), it might be time for the UK to get some better MP’s who aren’t as corrupt.

    28. Master_Block1302 on

      Hmmm only 4 miles from the US Embassy. Only 4 miles. Only Wapping to Nine Elms. Pretty much next door.

    30. RadioEquivalent4574 on

      China will be the World Order by 2040. We either make good or fight. Neither will be a good outcome for us.

    32. ionetic on

      It’s a polite name for a Chinese military base since there’s no need for a large embassy.

    33. particlegun on

      I hope our security services are smart enough to realise this and run fake cable emissions for the Chinese to monitor.

      Then again, knowing this govt, they will outsource it to crapita who will somehow give the Chinese the launch codes for the nuclear missiles in the subs.

    36. Impressive_Bed_287 on

      Let them do it. Monitor their comms. Learn what they’re trying to do then feed them false information.

    37. JewelerAdorable1781 on

      Aw that’s just lovely, they want to be closer to us ALL. Its warm and fuzziness for Everbody. We’ll they have already had so so many Chinese spys/friends having close friendships with our people of politics and power over the years. No conflict of interests of course, very honourable.

    38. VankHilda on

      Sounds good to me, having any concerns for the safety of others within your country would be racism.

      Hell, to even suspect the lovely kind Chinese people and their vastly rich culture, a culture we surely should be importing more of to enrich us, would be racism.

      I say we let them have their embassy, or do they need to identify as a religion?

    41. ethos_required on

      We might be able to get a few million in exchange for the small price of China having access to our country’s telecoms! We need every penny we can get for migrant hotels.

    42. bejeweledman on

      I feel Labour will lose local council seats to Tories in Hong Kong immigrant hotspots like Warrington (Cheshire), Sutton in South London and all the 10 councils of Greater Manchester.

      It will turn into potential losses in the next general election.

      Although I won’t vote for Tories and Reform, I believe banning this plan should have been a bipartisan agreement since the very beginning.

    44. maltanis on

      What a ridiculous headline.

      Like we wouldnt notice if they suddenly started cutting into cables.

      But Metro is owned by the same company that owns the Daily Mail, soooooo……

    45. TerrorDave on

      One minute we are an insignificant player on the world stage the next we warrant a mega spy embassy.
      We are so back baby !