"The government has insisted no decision has been made on a Chinese mega-embassy in London, after MPs on all sides warned of a potential threat to national security. The Conservatives claimed the controversial scheme would give China a "launch-pad for economic warfare". Labour, Tory, Liberal Democrat, DUP and SNP MPs all urged the government to reject the embassy plans to prevent espionage and guard against the "transnational repression" of Hong Kongers in the UK, in an urgent Commons debate."
"Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said the government took these issues seriously and "all material considerations will be taken into consideration" when the decision is made "on or before 20 January". Conservative shadow Home Office minister Alicia Kearns highlighted a report in the Telegraph, which said the plans include secret rooms and a "concealed chamber" that sat alongside cables carrying data to the City of London."
"The drawings seen by the newspaper suggest China intends to demolish and rebuild the outer basement wall of the chamber, directly beside the fibre-optic cables. Kearns said that could offer access to cables "carrying millions of British people's emails and financial data, and access that would give the Chinese Communist Party a launch pad for economic warfare against our nation". She added that approving the embassy plans would also "reward" China for holding British national Jimmy Lai in prison."
The government has insisted no decision has been made on a Chinese mega-embassy in London. MPs across parties warned of a potential threat to national security and urged rejection of the plans to prevent espionage and guard against transnational repression of Hong Kongers. Conservatives claimed the scheme would give China a launch-pad for economic warfare. Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said the government took these issues seriously and that all material considerations will be taken into account with a decision on or before 20 January. Reports describe secret rooms and a concealed chamber adjacent to fibre-optic cables, raising concerns about access to emails and financial data. MPs also raised diplomatic and procedural complaints about ministerial responsibility.
Read at www.bbc.com
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