UK vows due diligence on Chinese embassy in London amid security concerns

Trump has warned PM Starmer against letting China set up mega-embassy near UK’s key financial centres; plan revived following lobbying by Xi

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Royal Mint Court, the site of the proposed new Chinese embassy in London. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 12:47am, 9 Jun 2025Updated: 12:48am, 9 Jun 2025

The UK government promised to assess any security concerns related to the construction of a Chinese embassy near the City of London, an issue that could potentially complicate trade talks with the United States.

President Donald Trump has warned Prime Minister Keir Starmer against letting China set up a “mega-embassy” near the country’s key financial centres, after the plan was revived following personal lobbying by President Xi Jinping, the Sunday Times reported.

The issue has been raised in trade negotiations between the United States and UK, according to the newspaper.

In response to questions about the report, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle told Sky News the UK will offer a “fulsome response” to any security issues. Those issues will be “taken care of assiduously”, he said.

These are “the issues we talk about as two countries all the time”, Kyle said. “But just to reassure people, we deal with embassies and these sorts of infrastructure issues all the time,” he said.

“We’re in the Five Eyes agreement, America and Britain share intelligence. If people raise security issues even though it relates to planning, then I’m sure we will have a fulsome response for them.