The United States expresses its concern about the Chinese embassy plan in London

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The White House has expressed concern about the UK government about allowing China to build a large embassy in London that security officials believe will pose a threat to the sensitive infrastructure of communications that serve the city.

“The United States is deeply concerned about providing China with access to sensitive contacts of one of our closest allies,” said a senior US official.

China He requested permission to build a new embassy in London in the Royal Mint Court at the edge of London, the financial district of the United Kingdom. The compound, which has an area of ​​20,000 square meters, will be more than 20 times the size of the current Beijing embassy in Marylepon and will be the largest embassy in Beijing in Europe.

Some security officials in the United States and the United Kingdom have sparked concern about the plan because of the site’s proximity to a sensitive axis of critical communication cables.

Sir Richard Derloff, the former British Secret Intelligence Service, told II BAper on Sunday that the presence of cable networks near the proposed embassy has put forward a “real problem” because Chinese intelligence services will be able to take advantage of sensitive lines “with impunity.”

The US official said that Washington expected all decisions to be taken with the American national security services and the United Kingdom in mind and “after the comprehensive mitigation as recommended and approved by technology specialists.”

The United Kingdom belongs to the Five Eyes Sharking and Collection Network, which also includes the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand-which means threats to British communications is a source of concern for Washington.

The intervention of the White House is the second known example of the Trump administration, which raises concerns about China with the United Kingdom. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump submitted an implicit approval of a deal that signed the UK with Mauritius on the sovereignty of the Chajos Islands. This was despite the Chinese security threats imagined by Sigo Garcia, which is on the islands in the islands that the United States and the United Kingdom have a joint military base. He agreed to the deal despite the concerns expressed by some of his officials.

In the United Kingdom, the opposition Conservative Party urged the government to reject the plan.

Chris Philip, Interior Minister Shadow.

He said on Sunday: “It is very likely that the Chinese will use it to organize spy activities.

Peter Kyle, Minister of Science and Technology, said that if people raised security issues, this will be dealt with in the planning process.

The plan was rejected by the Local Buro Council in 2022 on the basis of security and due to the potential impact of the population. Last year, he was summoned to review by Angela Rainer, Minister of Housing.

the The project has now been revived After personal pressure from President Xi Jinping from China in a phone call with Prime Minister Sir Kerr Starmer. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also raised the case with Foreign Minister David Lami during a London visit this year.

Some UK officials believe that the approval of the embassy can calm the relations between the United Kingdom of Chinese, which has been over since the British government took control of a Chinese steel factory in northeastern England.

The British embassy in Washington refused to comment. American intervention was first reported by the Sunday Times from London.