WASHINGTON — With UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer set to meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday, US House of Representatives members have expressed concern to the British ambassador about the Chinese Communist Party’s planned ‘mega-embassy’ in London.
“It is our opinion that gifting the Chinese Communist government with the largest embassy in Europe is a counterproductive and unearned reward,” Chairman of the House Select Committee on China, John Moolenaar, and his Republican counterpart Chris Smith, chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, wrote to Lord Mandelson, the UK’s envoy to Washington.
Moolenaar and Smith argue that giving China such a “prominent diplomatic foothold” in the country while UK citizen Jimmy Lai, alongside thousands of other political prisoners, remains detained in Hong Kong would only “embolden” Beijing’s actions.
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Over the past few years, Beijing has been searching for a new embassy location in London, planning to shift its operations from the Marylebone district to the site of Britain’s former Royal Mint, near the Tower of London.
China bought the building in 2018 for a reported $327M and now awaits UK Communities Secretary Angela Rayner’s call on the final decision following a public inquiry into the project.
Thus far, Beijing has indicated that it has “no desire or intention” to change any part of its proposal, according to statements made to the public inquiry.
US lawmakers have begun sounding the alarm to their British counterparts about the planned embassy. Last week, the House Select Committee on China took to social media to say that the proposed infrastructure raises risks to London’s financial services.
In an event with International Intrigue in January, the House Committee ranking member Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi said that diplomatic relations with Chinese counterparts have softened in recent years, and the era of ‘wolf warrior diplomacy’ appears to have ended.
Yet, Congress members across the aisle are concerned about the threats posed by growing Chinese influence globally. Noting the “special relationship” between the two countries, Moolenaar and Smith have asked that the ambassador prioritise the topic while meeting with Starmer and Trump, conveying the concerns of Congress.
Despite opposition calls to block the proposed Chinese embassy in London, concerns have grown that the Labour government will approve the embassy as Starmer seeks to strengthen dialogue between the two countries. Last November, he became the first British prime minister to meet with Xi in over six years.