China has unleashed a threat of “consequences” over the latest delay to approving its application for a highly controversial new embassy at the Royal Mint Court site in London, amid escalating diplomatic tensions between the UK and the world’s second largest economy.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian has blasted Keir Starmer for failing to approve a new embassy, which could cost around £750m.
On Thursday afternoon, it was formally announced that a decision on whether China’s new super embassy would get the green light would be delayed until 10 December.
Jian said Starmer would face “consequences” if the new embassy near the Tower of London were not approved and that he had “grave concern and strong dissatisfaction” over the delay.
The spokesman also said the UK should “immediately fulfill its obligations and honor its commitments, otherwise the British side shall bear all consequences”.
He also accused the government of showing “disregard for contractual spirit, acting in bad faith and without integrity”.
The remarks point to the cooling relationship between the UK and China after a diplomatic row erupted over further allegations that spies had taken classified documents and launched cyber attacks against British systems.
China reacts to spy case row
On Thursday, the Chinese embassy in London attacked the government for “undermining China-UK relations” after witness statements provided by senior civil servants to prosecutors surrounding the collapsed spy case were published.
In a statement, the embassy said: “The so-called testimony released by the UK after the prosecutor’s withdrawal of the case is filled with all kinds of groundless accusations against China. It is pure speculation and fabrication.
“We strongly condemn it.”
The statement also accused MPs of “attempts to smear and defame China”.
On the same day, MI5 boss Ken McCallum said he was “frustrated” the Chinese spy case had collapsed and accused China of attacking UK systems as recently as last week.
In his annual speech, he said the country has harassed and intimidate democracy activists in the UK and looked to “interfere covertly in UK public life”.
“When it comes to China, the UK needs to defend itself resolutely against threats and seize the opportunities that demonstrably serve our nation,” McCallum said.
Over the last year, the Labour government has sought to maintain relations with the country as the likes of Rachel Reeves and David Lammy have travelled to China to get fresh cash injections in Britain.
But a new diplomatic row over the last week is likely to fracture relations and focus minds across Whitehall, with the progress of China’s planning application for a new embassy likely to be at the centrepoint of ongoing tensions.