Overview

• The proposed Chinese embassy in London, planned for the Royal Mint Court site, would be the largest in Europe, raising concerns about espionage and influence operations.
• US congressional leaders have written to the UK ambassador, warning that the embassy could enable Beijing to intimidate dissidents and critics on British soil.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer, currently in Washington for talks with President Trump, is being urged to deny approval for the project.
• The UK government has ultimate authority over the embassy proposal, which was previously rejected by a local council on security grounds but resubmitted after Labour's election win.
• The embassy issue is part of broader US-UK discussions on China, including calls for coordinated efforts to secure the release of British citizen and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, detained in Hong Kong.