London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 08, 2025

Sadiq Khan will not intervene in Chinese embassy plans for east London

Sadiq Khan will not intervene in Chinese embassy plans for east London

China’s controversial bid to build its new embassy was previously blocked by Tower Hamlets and must now go to central Government for a decision
Sadiq Khan has confirmed he will not intervene in plans for a new Chinese "super embassy" in east London.

China's bid to build a fortress on a sprawling complex opposite the Tower of London was blocked by Tower Hamlets council in December following fierce opposition from locals.

The Mayor of London of London had six weeks to issue a direction to approve or reject the application after the council referred its “minded-to-refuse” decision to City Hall.

The Greater London Authority has confirmed Mr Khan will not use his planning powers to determine the application for the former Royal Mint site.

It means the controversial development will now be referred to central government to decide.

A report by the GLA said: “Having regard to the details of the application, the matters set out in the committee report and Tower Hamlets Council’s draft decision notice there are no sound planning reasons for the mayor to intervene in this particular case."

China bought the 700,000 sq ft complex for £255 million in 2018.

The country wants to develop it into one of the world's largest embassies.

But a 74-page planning application revealed residents’ concerns, with some highlighting the “violent assault of protesters” at the Chinese consulate in Manchester last year and others fearing the building could become a “secret police station”.

Tower Hamlets, which has the largest Muslim population in the UK, also raised concerns about the treatment of Uighur and other Muslim minorities in the country.

It comes as an argument broke out in the House of Commons on Thursday over the possibility a Chinese official from Xinjiang could visit the UK.

The Government insisted it has not invited the region's governor, Erkin Tuniyaz, and will challenge him on human rights violations against the Uighurs if he does travel to Britain.

Foreign Office minister Leo Docherty was pressed to ensure the UK Government either sanctions the governor, denies him a visa, or seeks his arrest should he arrive in the country.

Answering an urgent question on reports of the visit from Iain Duncan Smith, Mr Docherty told the Commons: "We understand from the Chinese embassy that the governor of Xinjiang may visit the UK next week.

"To be very clear he has not been invited by the UK Government or by the FCDO and we have no confirmation that he will in fact travel.

"Our expectation is that he will be travelling on a diplomatic passport, and has not yet been granted, therefore, a visa. If he does visit I can assure this House that under no circumstances will he be dignified with a ministerial meeting."

The department was also widely condemned by MPs for entertaining the idea of talks with the governor given China's treatment of the Uighurs, reports of which include allegations of forcibly sterilising women and putting children in "concentration camps".

After claiming that the Government would not "legitimise" China's actions in Xinjiang with such a meeting, Mr Docherty added officials "would be prepared to offer him a meeting", but only "to make absolutely clear the UK's abhorrence at the treatment of the Uighur people".
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Florida Murder Case: The Adelson Family, the Killing of Dan Markel, and the Trial of Donna Adelson
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Brand-New $1 Million Yacht Sinks Just Fifteen Minutes After Maiden Launch in Turkey
Here’s What the FBI Seized in John Bolton Raid — and the Legal Risks He Faces
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
×