Boris Johnson approved the China’s super-embassy proposal in 2018 and welcomed the fact it would represent “China’s largest overseas diplomatic investment” anywhere in the world, the Guardian can disclose. In a letter to Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat, Johnson gave his consent for Royal Mint Court to house a sprawling diplomatic complex in May 2018. The Chinese government bought the 20,000 sq metres site for £255m that same month. The disclosure demonstrates that the Conservatives under Theresa May gave Beijing assurances that it could proceed with the proposal, which is…
Tag: Foreign policy
China spy row: Berry knew some of his contacts were non-commercial, messages suggest
Christopher Berry, the man at the heart of a controversial and now-abandoned Chinese espionage case, appeared to be aware that he was supplying information to a non-commercial client, according to messages seen by the Guardian. In August 2022, Berry sent a voice note saying that “they want me to work for them directly instead of going through the company”. The messages are included in an expert report written for Berry’s defence team by Kerry Brown, the director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London. The report was first…
Chinese embassy approval could be unlawful if UK ministers gave advance assurances
Approving a Chinese super-embassy in east London could be unlawful if ministers gave Beijing assurances about the project in advance, one of the UK’s top planning lawyers has concluded. If Keir Starmer or his team made promises to the Chinese government about the embassy, it could constitute “actual or apparent predetermination” of the planning application, according to the legal opinion by Lord Banner. The opinion was commissioned by a group of residents opposed to the proposed Chinese embassy near Tower Bridge, which has attracted fierce opposition because of security, human…
China threatens UK with ‘consequences’ over delayed London mega embassy
Tensions between Britain and China have escalated after Beijing criticised further delays to a planning decision on its proposed “mega embassy” in London. China’s ministry of foreign affairs expressed “grave concern and strong dissatisfaction” after Steve Reed, the housing secretary, pushed back his final decision on the proposal until 10 December. The row further complicates attempts by Keir Starmer, the prime minister, to reset relations with Beijing, which have already been damaged by a row over alleged Chinese espionage in the UK. Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign…
The Guardian view on UK national security: a case of state failure | Editorial
The China spying row has revealed disturbing weaknesses in the processes of the UK state. It cannot be in the national interest for a case involving national security to get so close to the courts and then for it to be abandoned in what remain mysterious circumstances. Public confidence, as well as security itself, are inevitably placed at risk. But this genuinely important issue now risks being blanketed by the fog of the party-political battle at Westminster. For the third time this week, MPs spent Thursday trading accusations about whether the Conservatives or Labour are more…
Ministers plan high-level visits to China despite espionage trial outcry
Ministers are pushing ahead with their reset of relations with China, including several planned high-level visits before the end of the year, despite the furore triggered by the collapse of a high-profile espionage trial. Plans have been drawn up for Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser, to travel to Beijing in November for talks before an anticipated trip by Keir Starmer next year. Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, and Patrick Vallance, the science minister, are also expected to travel to China on government business before the end of the year.…
MI5 chief ‘frustrated’ at failure to put men accused of spying for China on trial
The MI5 director general, Ken McCallum, has acknowledged his frustration at the failure to put on trial two Britons who had been accused of spying for China, in an apparent rebuke to prosecutors who dropped the high-profile case last month. The domestic spy chief insisted he would “never back off” from confronting threats from Beijing, which he said posed a national security threat “every day”, although the wider UK-China relationship was a matter for the government. A China-related spy plot was disrupted “in the last week”, he said, though it…
No 10 moves to end China spy row – but threat of further fallout lingers
When Keir Starmer finally read the witness statement from his deputy national security adviser for the trial of two British men accused of spying for China, some of his frustration about the collapse of the case began to dissipate. His government had been besieged by the Tories for two weeks over its role, being accused of “secretly sabotaging” the trial, “blocking” key witnesses and “hiding behind process”, all to avoid having to tell a court that China was an enemy. Media reports suggested the refusal by the government to describe…
Questions for CPS after No 10 publishes key witness statements in China spy row
The Crown Prosecution Service abandoned a case against two Britons accused of spying for China despite being told by the UK’s deputy national security adviser that Beijing’s intelligence agencies “harm the interests and security of the UK”. Three witness statements were released by Keir Starmer on Wednesday night in an effort to draw a line under a row over why the case was dropped against the two, one of whom also warned the other in a message: “You’re in spy territory now.” Charges against Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher,…
Starmer only read China spy witness statements this morning, No 10 says, as Cleverly accuses PM of misquoting him – as it happened
From 17h ago Starmer only read China spy case witness statements this morning, No 10 says Here are the main lines from the NO 10 post-PMQs lobby briefing. The PM’s spokesperson explained why the government was publishing its China spy case witness statements now, when yesterday officials were saying the CPS were opposed to this. The spokesperson said: Prior to last night, the CPS had made clear that witnesses have an expectation that their evidence will not be publicly discussed in those circumstances. The CPS had also advised that to…