The British intelligence services, which were involved in the approval process, emphasized that any threat could be averted by the new embassy. “China has threatened our national security and will continue to do so,” British Security Minister Dan Jarvis told the British Parliament. But he also added that after a detailed risk assessment related to the new embassy, he had been assured “that Britain’s national security is protected.”
In an unusual move, the head of MI5 and GCHQ published a joint letter on Tuesday saying it was unrealistic to exclude “all potential risk” from all embassy staff. However, the government has developed a number of protective measures.
Politicians in Britain and the US had called for China to be banned from building on the site near London’s historic financial district. There is a risk that Beijing will intercept financial companies’ fiber optic cables running under the area. The opposition Conservatives therefore sharply criticized the Starmer government’s decision.
US President Donald Trump has threatened Great Britain and EU states with new punitive tariffs because of their annexation claims on Greenland, which belongs to Denmark. Canada, which is also threatened by Trump with territorial claims, had previously decided on a new trade agreement with China.
