China's London Embassy Blueprint Reveals Hidden Spy Chamber
China eagerly awaits UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer's approval for its massive new "Super embassy" in London. However, a startling investigation by The Telegraph newspaper has uncovered something far more concerning buried in the plans. The report reveals a hidden underground chamber constructed dangerously close to Britain's most sensitive communication infrastructure.
Secret Room Alongside Critical Cables
The Telegraph obtained unredacted documents that show a single concealed chamber sitting directly alongside fibre-optic cables. These cables transmit crucial financial data to the City of London. They also carry email and messaging traffic for millions of internet users across Britain.
All publicly available versions of the embassy plans had this information completely redacted. China claimed "security reasons" for hiding these details. The newspaper managed to uncover the original documents, providing the clearest insight yet into Beijing's intentions for the hidden areas of its new diplomatic headquarters.
Espionage Equipment and Extended Stays
The hidden chamber includes hot-air extraction systems. This strongly suggests the installation of heat-generating equipment like advanced computers typically used for espionage activities. The plans also show China intends to demolish and rebuild the outer basement wall of this chamber. This construction work would place Chinese officials just over one metre from the critical fibre-optic cables running beneath the pavement.
Other redacted areas included emergency back-up generators, a sprinkler plant, new lift shafts and communications cabling. The plans also concealed bathrooms and showers. This infrastructure could potentially allow officials to remain underground for extended periods without detection.
Political Reactions and Security Concerns
Alicia Kearns, the shadow national security minister, expressed grave concerns about these revelations. She claimed granting approval would hand China "a launchpad for economic warfare at the heart of the central nervous system of our critical national infrastructure."
"The unredacted plans reveal a concealed room running immediately alongside the fibre-optic cables critical to the City and Canary Wharf," Kearns stated. "Telegraph readers don't need me to spell out the obvious threats posed, nor China's subterfuge – so why does the Labour Government?"
The disclosures have reignited fears that Beijing could be seeking to spy on information carried through Britain's communication networks. This could potentially give China access to state secrets and sensitive financial information.
Technical Details of the Hidden Infrastructure
The Telegraph's investigation revealed several concerning technical aspects:
- The triangular underground chamber measures up to 40 meters across and 2-3 meters deep
- The outer basement wall facing Mansell Street would be completely demolished and rebuilt
- Telecoms cable plans show the fibre-optics belong to companies including BT Openreach, Colt Technologies and US telecoms giant Verizon Business
- Options for spying on the data could include diverting cables, inserting wire taps, or placing devices directly on top of the cables
- The fibres could even be bent so that light leaks through their casing, allowing it to be read by specialized equipment
Historical Context and Previous Warnings
This project has been mired in controversy since Beijing first sought planning permission under the previous Conservative government. Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson's former chief adviser, claimed that MI5 and MI6 warned him China was "trying to build a spy centre underneath the embassy."
Most planning documents submitted to Tower Hamlets council were heavily redacted. This move led Angela Rayner, then housing secretary, to delay approval and demand clarification from Chinese authorities.
Scale and Location of the Embassy Complex
The new Chinese embassy will cover 22,000 square meters on the site of the former Royal Mint. This would make it the largest Chinese diplomatic mission in Europe. Of the 208 rooms exposed by The Telegraph, the most striking lies beneath the Seamen's Registry building on the north-west corner of the former Royal Mint site.
The exterior wall borders Mansell Street, a busy artery at the Tower Hill interchange. The complex also includes plans for flats within the Embassy House building on the eastern side of the site. Detailed layouts suggest luxury accommodation for senior diplomats alongside smaller studio-style units.
Additional Infrastructure and Security Features
Basement drawings reveal further living infrastructure including toilets and showers at the southern end of Embassy House. Adjacent rooms vary in size, with the largest suitable for a gym. Others, smaller and more secure, lie behind winding corridors and multiple doors.
The plans also show lift shafts, power and communications ducts, and a tunnel linking the Seamen's Registry to a vast car park beneath the complex. Utility drawings indicate rooms for high-voltage electricity, water supply and the embassy's official telecoms connections. At the northern end sits a large space apparently designated for emergency generators.
Timing and Political Implications
There are reports that Prime Minister Starmer might approve the embassy before a planned visit to China later this month. During this visit, he is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. This timing raises questions about whether security concerns might be overlooked for diplomatic convenience.
The construction work would place Chinese contractors in extremely close proximity to Britain's most sensitive communication infrastructure. It remains unknown which company China will appoint as contractors to build its planned new embassy, or who would be responsible for demolishing and rebuilding the Seamen's Registry basement wall.
This revelation comes at a sensitive time in UK-China relations. The hidden chamber's proximity to critical national infrastructure represents one of the most serious espionage concerns Britain has faced in recent years.
