The UK Government has postponed its decision on China’s proposed new super-embassy in London until January.
The delay comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares for a possible visit to Beijing around the same time.
Ministers are expected to approve the project, as both the Home Office and Foreign Office have raised no security objections. Security services have also indicated they can manage any risks linked to the new embassy, which would become China’s largest diplomatic mission anywhere in the world.
Officials say combining China’s seven existing London sites into one location would offer security advantages.
China plans to build the embassy at the Royal Mint Court site near Tower Bridge, a 20,000-sq-metre area it bought in 2018.
However, this is the third time the UK has delayed the planning decision.
Starmer, who would be the first UK prime minister to visit China since 2018, said the UK must take a balanced approach to Beijing avoiding both extremes of past policies.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said they had reviewed all security concerns and worked with police to ensure risks were addressed. They stressed the importance of countries maintaining functioning embassies while protecting national security.
The project has faced strong criticism from local residents and activists worried about China’s human rights record. Protests have taken place near the site in recent months.
A Chinese embassy spokesperson condemned the repeated delays and urged the UK to approve the plan quickly to prevent damage to bilateral relations.
The project stalled after Tower Hamlets council rejected it in 2022, but Labour took over the decision-making process after coming into government last year.
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