US Warns UK Against Chinese Embassy Near London Financial Centres

The White House has issued a strong warning to the UK government against allowing China to build a new embassy near London's financial district, citing significant security risks due to the site's proximity to sensitive communication cables and major financial centers like the City and Canary Wharf. The proposed embassy, known as the 'super-embassy,' is planned for Royal Mint Court, a location that also lies near three critical data centers, raising fears of potential Chinese espionage and vulnerabilities in financial communications infrastructure. President Donald Trump has personally urged UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to reject the embassy plans, and the issue has been a topic during ongoing US-UK trade negotiations, with potential implications for intelligence sharing and the avoidance of 50 percent tariffs on UK steel exports. British authorities previously blocked the embassy project due to security concerns, but the plans have been revived following lobbying by Chinese President Xi Jinping. US officials have emphasized that any decision should prioritize national security interests, and intelligence-sharing arrangements between the US and UK could be reconsidered if the embassy is approved. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) also passed a memo to the US National Security Council highlighting the risks posed by the embassy site's underground cabling serving London's financial hubs.