Chinese 'mega-embassy' will go ahead even with intelligence threats

Evening Standard

Security minister Dan Jarvis confirms the new Chinese embassy will go ahead while acknowledging that Beijing will continue to pose intelligence threats.

Transcript

00:00Since the Chinese government completed the purchase in 2018, the issues that continue

00:06to be raised in the media reports are not new to the government or the intelligence

00:11community and an extensive range of measures have been developed to protect national security.

00:18We have acted to increase the resilience of cables in the area through an extensive series

00:24of measures to protect sensitive data, and I can confirm that, contrary to reporting,

00:31the government had seen the unredacted plans for the embassy.

00:36This government has agreed with China that the publicly accessible forecourt on the embassy

00:41grounds will not have diplomatic immunity managing the risks to the public.

00:47Based on all of this and our extensive work on this matter, I am content that any risks

00:52are being appropriately managed.

00:55But let me be clear, the build also brings clear national security advantages.

01:02Following extensive negotiations led by this government, the Chinese government has agreed

01:06to consolidate its seven current sites in London into one site.

01:12That is why, following deep scrutiny by security officials, the government has been able to

01:17conclude that we can manage the security concerns related to the embassy.

01:23China has and will continue to pose threats to our national security.

01:29But following detailed consideration of all possible risks around this new embassy by expert officials

01:35across government, I am assured that the UK's national security is protected.

01:41Let me assure this House and the country upholding national security is the first duty of government,

01:48and we will continue to take all measures necessary to defeat these threats.

01:53I commend this statement to the House.

01:54Wendy H round

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