Overview
- Unredacted drawings show an underground complex with 208 rooms and a concealed chamber running alongside fibre‑optic cables carrying financial and internet traffic.
- Reports indicate the government plans to sign off within days ahead of Keir Starmer’s trip to Beijing, with a formal decision due by January 20 from Communities Secretary Steve Reed.
- MI5 and MI6 filed no formal objections to the plans, and officials say all national security implications have been identified and addressed.
- Nine Labour MPs have urged rejection on national security grounds, citing risks to dissidents and the proximity to critical infrastructure, with Conservatives also voicing alarm.
- China rejects espionage allegations, while analysts and allies warn approval could complicate intelligence sharing with the US and other Five Eyes partners.