China has rejected a UK request to provide unredacted blueprints of its planned “mega” embassy in London, insisting that the level of detail already supplied is sufficient under planning rules, the Financial Times reported.
Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner had earlier called on Beijing to disclose full drawings of the development — set to be the largest Chinese embassy in Europe — or clearly identify the greyed-out sections in its submitted plans. Two key buildings, the Cultural Exchange Building and Embassy House, were among those obscured in the blueprints, according to her housing department.
In a letter sent to Rayner this week, Chinese representatives argued it was “not necessary or appropriate” to provide complete internal layouts and that their application “has followed international practices as well as the local protocol and procedures,” the FT said. They also resisted a UK request to build a wall around a paved area in front of the site, a measure sought to ensure safe access.
The proposed embassy would be built on a five-acre site opposite the Tower of London. It has sparked significant opposition, with critics warning of national security risks. Luke de Pulford, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, dismissed Beijing’s stance as a “‘trust me bro’ response,” and reiterated calls for the UK government to reject the application.
Protests against the project have already taken place, with demonstrators carrying signs such as “Angela Rayner Say No to China’s Super Embassy” and “Big Xi Is Watching You.”
Security concerns have also been raised beyond the UK. The US has previously voiced “deep” unease about the embassy’s proximity to undersea telecommunications cables. The UK Home Office has separately requested a “hard perimeter” around the site to address access concerns.
China, meanwhile, has sought to frame the project as reciprocal, noting that both Beijing and London are planning new embassies in each other’s capitals and should “facilitate each other’s efforts.”
The UK government said on Friday it would delay its decision on China’s application until October 21.
