UK's MI5 Downplays Security Risks of Proposed Chinese Super-Embassy in London
The UK's top spy agency, MI5, has revealed that it is "very relaxed" about the prospect of a proposed 20,000 sq metre Chinese super-embassy being constructed in London. The embassy, which is currently awaiting approval, would be built at Royal Mint Court near Tower Bridge.
According to sources, senior figures from MI5 told House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle that they could tackle the espionage risks posed by the large outpost. China has a long-standing diplomatic presence in the UK, with its existing embassy on Portland Place dating back over a century.
Despite concerns about security, local residents, and optics, MI5 is confident that it can manage the risks associated with the super-embassy. The agency's director general, Ken McCallum, previously stated that MI5 has more than a century of experience dealing with national security risks posed by foreign embassies on British soil.
However, opponents of the project have raised concerns about the presence of cables beneath the site connecting to the City of London and potential surveillance implications. A former senior British intelligence officer has suggested that while "embassies are nests for spies", they also present opportunities for potential surveillance.
The government is weighing up whether to approve the super-embassy by 10 December, having already pushed back the decision twice. Beijing has demanded that the UK honour its commitments and immediately fulfil its obligations regarding the embassy, threatening consequences if not met.
In a surprise move, Boris Johnson's predecessor wrote to his Chinese counterpart in 2018 assuring him of cooperation on projects. Richard Moore, former chief of MI6, hinted at a potential compromise being reached, stating that it was right for China to have an embassy and that the UK should retain its own excellent embassy in Beijing.
However, experts caution that the size of the embassy is immaterial, and monitoring staff concentrated in one location can be more effective than dispersing them across the city. The increasing sophistication of surveillance technologies has made such operations more difficult, and many countries now prefer to avoid spying out of diplomatic outposts.
The UK's top spy agency, MI5, has revealed that it is "very relaxed" about the prospect of a proposed 20,000 sq metre Chinese super-embassy being constructed in London. The embassy, which is currently awaiting approval, would be built at Royal Mint Court near Tower Bridge.
According to sources, senior figures from MI5 told House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle that they could tackle the espionage risks posed by the large outpost. China has a long-standing diplomatic presence in the UK, with its existing embassy on Portland Place dating back over a century.
Despite concerns about security, local residents, and optics, MI5 is confident that it can manage the risks associated with the super-embassy. The agency's director general, Ken McCallum, previously stated that MI5 has more than a century of experience dealing with national security risks posed by foreign embassies on British soil.
However, opponents of the project have raised concerns about the presence of cables beneath the site connecting to the City of London and potential surveillance implications. A former senior British intelligence officer has suggested that while "embassies are nests for spies", they also present opportunities for potential surveillance.
The government is weighing up whether to approve the super-embassy by 10 December, having already pushed back the decision twice. Beijing has demanded that the UK honour its commitments and immediately fulfil its obligations regarding the embassy, threatening consequences if not met.
In a surprise move, Boris Johnson's predecessor wrote to his Chinese counterpart in 2018 assuring him of cooperation on projects. Richard Moore, former chief of MI6, hinted at a potential compromise being reached, stating that it was right for China to have an embassy and that the UK should retain its own excellent embassy in Beijing.
However, experts caution that the size of the embassy is immaterial, and monitoring staff concentrated in one location can be more effective than dispersing them across the city. The increasing sophistication of surveillance technologies has made such operations more difficult, and many countries now prefer to avoid spying out of diplomatic outposts.
anyway i heard london is pretty crowded so maybe the embassy will just get lost in the crowd like that one person you see every day but never really talk to 
mi5 thinks they can just chill about some chinese embassy being built in london like it's no big deal lol they think their centuries old experience will make a difference when the super-embassy is basically a spy hub in the middle of the city? give me a break 
and have you seen the cables beneath that site?? 
its like they're just inviting china to tap into every major financial hub in london. experts are saying the opposite too, that this embassy would be more vulnerable to surveillance not less lol i dont think mi5 is being realistic about this one 
...i mean im all for chinese brits having a say in politics but this feels like overkill...the uk already has plenty of embassies on the continent and it seems like theyre trying to spy on us more now than ever 
. A 20k sq meter super-embassy in London? That's a lot of space for surveillance 
and potential espionage ops 
It seems like the UK is just playing a game of espionage whack-a-mole with China 
.
. There are too many unknowns about what kind of surveillance technology China might bring to the table 
. The fact that a former senior intel officer thinks an embassy is just a "nest for spies" but also presents opportunities for surveillance raises some serious eyebrows 
. We need to think about the potential consequences of allowing China to build such a large embassy in our city 
. It's all too convenient that Richard Moore's comments came at the same time as the proposed super-embassy was put forward 
. It's just not right. And don't even get me started on the cables and surveillance implications... my granddad used to tell stories about how back in the '50s, MI5 would intercept all sorts of suspicious communications at Whitehall 
. Now it seems like they're just trying to keep up with the times. I'm not saying China's gonna cause any problems or anything, but... I dunno, man. It feels like we're sacrificing our own security for the sake of having a big, impressive embassy 
. What if they're using it as a hub to snoop on the city? Or what if there are cables running beneath it and we don't even know about them? 
. The gov's being super relaxed about this? That doesn't sit right with me 
. We need to keep our heads on a swivel, you know? 
i mean mi5 might be able to keep an eye on it but whats the point of having such a huge outpost? theyre not gonna bring chinese tourists or anything 
. I mean, what are the chances of some rogue spy trying to tap into those cables under the site? 
. The more we try to placate China, the less likely they are to actually be on our side... it's like playing a game of diplomatic chicken 
.