“It Could Become An Espionage Hub”! China’s ‘Super Embassy’ Plans In UK Gets Human Rights Group Worried

Submitted ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨thelucky8@beehaw.org⁩ to ⁨unitedkingdom@feddit.uk⁩

https://www.eurasiantimes.com/chinas-super-embassy-project-in-the-uk

The UK’s Labour Party is caught in the crosshairs of another controversy, as high-ranking politicians have come in support of Chinese “super embassy” plans, defying warnings from intelligence agencies and protests from residents.

In a recent development, British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Foreign Secretary David Lammy have indicated that they support China’s plan for building Europe’s largest-ever embassy in Tower Hamlets, east of London City in the UK. The embassy is planned to be built at the former Royal Mint, which was bought by China seven years ago.

The local authorities have repeatedly rejected the plan based on various concerns. For instance, the residents have been protesting the Chinese ‘super embassy’ plans based on concerns that it could lead to security risks and spying attempts.

Moreover, the British intelligence agency, M15, has also warned that the building would be extremely close to crucial communication cables, which could be compromised or attacked by the Chinese in a potential espionage attempt.

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mannycalavera@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
An embassy? Used for espionage? Well I never!

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- thelucky8@beehaw.org ⁨21⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Why are you downplaying this?
  
  The British intelligence agency, M15, has also warned that the building would be extremely close to crucial communication cables, which could be compromised or attacked by the Chinese in a potential espionage attempt.
  
  “Policing this proposed Embassy would require officers to be taken away from frontline duties to fulfill the requirement of policing spontaneous and known protests at this location,” Jon Savell, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Special Operations, said in a letter dated November 14 last year.
  
  International rights organizations urged the British government to reject the plan because they were concerned about a rise in Chinese espionage and infiltration efforts against Tibetans, Uyghurs, Hong Kong residents, and supporters of the British democratic movement.
  
  The planned embassy “would serve as a hub for China’s authoritarian agenda, targeting dissidents, monitoring communities, and undermining democratic values on British soil,” the Free Tibet group said.
  
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  - mannycalavera@feddit.uk ⁨10⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Because if you think that embassies all around the world, including our own, aren’t already used for espionage activities and that the host countries don’t know this, well I have a monorail to sell you.
    
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