Britain's government gave approval on Tuesday for China to build its largest embassy in Europe in London, hoping to improve ties with Beijing despite British and U.S. politicians' warnings that it could be used as a base for spying. - REUTERS
00:00Britain has approved a plan by China to build a new embassy in London that would be Beijing's largest in Europe,
00:08after recent demonstrations against its opening as well as years of opposition.
00:12The approval comes despite warnings from both UK and US politicians saying it could be used as a base for spying,
00:20and that it might enable Beijing to eavesdrop on fiber-octic cables used by finance firms running underneath the area.
00:26In Parliament Tuesday, Britain's Security Minister Dan Jarvis acknowledged China was a risk to national security,
00:33but downplayed danger from the new embassy.
00:36We have acted to increase the resilience of cables in the area through an extensive series of measures to protect sensitive data.
00:45And I can confirm that, contrary to reporting, the government had seen the unredacted plans for the embassy.
00:53Based on all of this and our extensive work on this matter, I am content that any risks are being appropriately managed.
01:00In the past decade, the UK has gone from saying it wanted to be China's biggest supporter in Europe
01:05to being one of its fiercest critics, to now trying to reset relations again.
01:10Approving the new embassy came before an expected visit to China by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer this month.
01:16Some British and Chinese officials said that trip was dependent on the embassy being approved.
01:23It is set to be one of the largest diplomatic outposts in the world,
01:26with the planning application showing a footprint of about 600,000 square feet near the Tower of London.
01:32The plans had stalled for three years over opposition from lawmakers, Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners,
01:38and some living close by.
01:41Shortly after the approval was announced, exiled Hong Kong and Chinese dissidents spoke out.
01:46This site will accommodate hundreds more Chinese state employees.
01:51We know what that means.
01:54More interference, more influence operations, and more intimidations of people like me.
02:01They were speaking alongside residents who promised a legal challenge.
02:05This has been a long David and Goliath fight.
02:09There is now only one way of stopping this, a judicial review.
02:12So I am today announcing that our judicial review to challenge the UK government's embassy decision begins today.
02:21However, former UK diplomat and analyst Charles Parton said the building is unlikely to be part of a spying plan.
02:28An embassy is a center of attention.
02:31It's easy to keep an eye on people there.
02:33The Chinese don't spy for them.
02:36They spy, they recruit and they run agents, usually in third countries, well away from the security services of the target country.
02:44On Tuesday, the head of MI5 and intelligence communications agency GCHQ issued a joint letter saying while it was unrealistic to eliminate every potential risk posed by the embassy officials, the government had devised a range of protective measures.
03:00Britain's opposition Conservative Party described Tuesday's decision as a disgraceful act of cowardice from a government utterly devoid of backbone.
03:09The Chinese embassy in London said in a one-line statement that it noted the government's decision.
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