Tories call for block on Chinese super-embassy amid claims of hidden chamber near sensitive cables – UK politics live

The UK government is set to approve China's application for a new super-embassy in London, despite concerns over security and potential risks to the country's sensitive communications cables. The unredacted plans for the embassy reveal that it will feature 208 secret rooms, including a hidden chamber just one metre from a fibre-optic cable serving the City of London and British people.

The Shadow Home Office minister, Alicia Kearns, has expressed concerns over the Chinese government's plan to demolish the wall between the cables and their embassy cables. She warned that this would give China access to "cables carrying millions of British people's emails and financial data", effectively giving them a launchpad for economic warfare against the nation.

Kearns accused the government of being aware of these plans, but choosing not to comment on them. She also questioned whether ministers have concerns about the application and if they have asked the Chinese for an explanation.

The news has sparked outrage among some, with Labour promising a new relationship with China. However, the UK's export goods are down 23% since the government lifted its trade restrictions. Alicia Kearns said that surrendering all security for Chinese trade was "always a bad policy" and that "surrendering all security while exports plummet is frankly insanity".

The Conservative MP has tabled an urgent question on this issue, with housing minister Matthew Pennycook responding to it now. He stated that the application is a live planning process and therefore he cannot comment on it.

However, the plans have raised concerns over China's potential intentions. The Guardian has revealed that the unredacted plans for the embassy reveal 208 secret rooms and a hidden chamber just one metre from a fibre-optic cable serving the City of London and British people.

I'm getting really worried about this... I mean, can you even imagine what would happen if China got access to all those sensitive cables? It's like a nightmare come true! Our government is literally putting our country's security at risk for some potential trade deal... 23% down in exports is already bad enough, but sacrificing our safety for economic gains just doesn't sit right with me . I know some people are all about Labour promising to be friends with China and all that, but what about us, the ones who live here? We need to make sure our government is looking out for our best interests, not just lining someone else's pockets . This whole thing just feels so... off

I'm getting major déjà vu thinking about this super-embassy business... in my day, we didn't even consider building an embassy next to our financial hub! Can you imagine?! What's wrong with these new-fangled diplomats? Demolishing the wall between cables and embassy cables? That's just asking for trouble!

I mean, I get it, trade agreements are important, but at what cost? You can't put a price on national security, right? And 208 secret rooms?! What's next, a spy novel or something?

And Labour wanting to promise more business with China after this news? Have they lost all sense of common sense? We're already struggling, and we can't just hand over our security for some sweet trade deals!

I hope someone in those corridors has a clue... or at least knows how to do their job without putting the whole country at risk!

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this new super-embassy thingy in London. I mean, I remember when the Americans had that huge embassy building on Grosvenor Square back in the day... it was like a miniature city in there! And now China wants to build one just as big? 208 secret rooms? That's just too much for me . It feels like they're trying to set up some kind of espionage hub or something.

And what's with all these fibre-optic cables, anyway? In my day, we had to use those old rotary phones and send letters to communicate with each other . This new-fangled stuff is just too much for me. I mean, I'm not saying China's planning anything nefarious or anything... but it's hard not to worry when you're building a giant spy compound in the middle of London.

I remember when the UK used to be all about diplomacy and whatnot . Now it feels like we're just rolling over for anyone who wants to build a big embassy on our soil. I guess that's just the world we live in now... but still, 208 secret rooms? That's just too much!

this is a classic case of weighing short-term gains against long-term security... I mean, think about it, if they're willing to compromise on their own country's safety just to get those trade deals done, that's a huge risk... 23% drop in exports, yeah, that might be a wake-up call for the government, but are they considering what else is at stake? The security of our sensitive info... it's like, do we want to make it easy for someone to hack into our cables and mess with our economy? I think the Conservative MP needs to ask more questions about these plans...

this is getting scary i mean, china already has like 2 super-embassies in london and now they wanna build another one with SECRET ROOMS?! what's next? a chinese spy factory right in the heart of london? we need to know more about these plans and why the gov isnt commenting on it and what's with labour wanting to make friends with china after this news breaks out? did they not see the trade restrictions getting lifted already? 23% down in exports? that's huge! now we're just gonna hand over our security for some "friendship"? alicia kearns is right, this is insanity

I'm so done with this forum . Can't we have a decent discussion without all the drama? The UK's decision to approve China's new super-embassy is seriously worrying . I mean, 208 secret rooms? What even is that? And demolishing the wall between cables just to give China access to our sensitive info? No thanks .

I don't get why anyone would think this is a good idea. Have they not seen any news about Chinese espionage lately? It's like we're playing with fire here, but no one's taking it seriously . And now Labour wants to just roll over and play nice with China? Come on, guys.

I'm all for trade agreements and economic growth, but at what cost? If our security is compromised because of some dodgy deal, then I say we're making a huge mistake . Can't we take some time to think this through instead of rushing into something that could hurt us in the long run?

I'm not sure why our gov is so eager to give China more access to our sensitive cables... We're already dealing with enough cybersecurity threats, do we really need to make it easier for hackers? Meanwhile, Labour's just gonna promise a new relationship and hope everything works out? And what about the impact on our national security? This whole thing feels like a recipe for disaster...

this is getting too hot, mate... i mean, i'm not surprised that they're gonna greenlight it, but come on, 208 secret rooms? that's like something outta a spy thriller what if china uses that to hack into our comms cables and mess with our economy? i know some ppl think it's just about trade, but what about security? i'm all for business, but not when it compromises the nation's safety

UK's about to invite a snake in with open arms? They're basically giving China a key to the nation's digital vault . Can't believe the government is downplaying this - it's like playing poker with someone's life . 208 secret rooms? What's not to hide?

I'm worried about this, guys... it seems like we're playing with fire here. We're compromising our security for a deal that's not worth it . China's got some pretty big teeth to show off if they want to play nice. What's the point of having 'friends' who can easily stab you in the back? I mean, think about all those secrets being stored under one roof... it's like we're putting our entire digital life on a sticky note . We gotta be careful not to get caught up in the thrill of getting what we want without thinking about the long game .

I'm not sure if this is a good idea lol . Did you see the stats on China's trade with the UK? They've been dropping like crazy since they lifted those trade restrictions 23% down ! It's like, what's the point of having a super-embassy in London when your exports are tanking?

And have you seen the layout of that embassy? 208 secret rooms? That's just begging for some serious espionage drama ! I mean, what if those cables get hacked? It's not like we can control China's hackers

I'm all for good trade relations and all, but security should be our top priority . We need to make sure that any deal with China doesn't compromise our national security .

Let's take a look at the timeline of this application: From 2018 when China first applied for an embassy in London to now... what took so long?

Also, did you know that in 2022, there were over 1.5 million cyberattacks on UK businesses alone ? We need to be careful who we're making deals with .

This just doesn't feel right ...

I don’t usually comment but I think it’s crazy that they’re even considering approving this super-embassy without thinking about the security risks . I mean, if China is gonna build 208 secret rooms including one near a fibre-optic cable that serves millions of emails and financial data, what's to stop them from hacking into our systems? It’s like opening a door to disaster.

And Alicia Kearns makes some valid points about giving away our national security just for trade. I don’t think it’s worth risking our country's sensitive info just to boost exports. The numbers are pretty stark – 23% down since they lifted trade restrictions. Does that really mean we should be trading off our security?

I hope the government takes a closer look at this and doesn’t rush into anything without thinking about the bigger picture . We need to make sure our country's interests are protected, not just our economy .

I'm so worried about this new super-embassy in London . Have you seen the number of secret rooms they're planning to build? 208?! It's like they're building their own little hideout right under our noses . And what really freaks me out is that it's so close to a fibre-optic cable serving the City of London and British people... think about all the sensitive info being transmitted through those cables . I don't know about you, but I'd want my government to be super careful when it comes to national security . Why are they even considering this? Have our politicians been paid off or something?! This is just crazy talk... or so I thought .

omg u guys , i cant even... china is literally trying to set up a spy hub in london with secret rooms & hidden chambers near our cables?!?! that's like something outta a bad movie how did this even get approved?!?! i mean i get china wants to make trade deals & all but at what cost?!?! we cant just let them have unfettered access to our sensitive info it's like the government is sleepwalking into a security nightmare alice kearns is right, this policy is straight up crazy surrendering all security for trade is not the answer! we need to stand firm & demand better

omg, can you even imagine having a super embassy like that in london?! they're basically planning to have like a mini china within a china with 208 secret rooms?! that's some spy novel stuff right there! i'm so worried about our emails and financial data being compromised... like, how do we even protect ourselves from cyber warfare? also, what's the deal with labour wanting to make nice with china again after this news? didn't they just lose 23% of their exports?! it seems like our government is choosing security over trade... and i'm not sure if that's a good idea at all.

I'm low-key freaking out about this new super-embassy thing . I mean, 208 secret rooms? That's some serious espionage vibes . And they're literally building it right next to a major fibre-optic cable ? It's like they want to be able to tap into the whole City of London network . I don't think it's a good idea at all, you know? I mean, what if China uses that access for some kind of economic sabotage? It just doesn't feel right . And Alicia Kearns is totally on point with her concerns about security . We need to be careful about who we're doing business with, especially when it comes to sensitive info . I hope our government is being super cautious with this one .

just think about this - 208 secret rooms in one embassy? that's like, insane UK is basically handing China a blueprint for their entire city and no one is even discussing the implications on their own security I mean, I know Labour is trying to be all pro-China now but what about the £100m+ in trade deals that are already stalled? 23% down in exports is not a joke

I'm kinda surprised this didn't make more headlines though... China's been getting all these major contracts in Europe and Africa meanwhile, we're worried about their embassy plans have they even asked the UK what our security protocols are? or do we just get to follow their lead without question?

stats:
- 208 secret rooms (according to unredacted plans)
- 23% down in exports since lifting trade restrictions
- £100m+ in stalled trade deals
source: BBC, Guardian

I'm really worried about this . I mean, you gotta think about all those cables carrying our personal info... it's like having a super powerful key in someone's hands. Alicia Kearns is right to be concerned, but at the same time, I don't want to see the UK-China trade situation suffer either . We need to find a balance here, like... have an open dialogue with China about these security concerns? It's not just about the embassy or the cables, it's about our economy and people's lives . Can't we just... wait and see how this all unfolds? And what's with the Labour party wanting to do business with China again?

I'm really worried about this new super-embassy in London. Like, I get it, China is a major player on the world stage, but do we really need to give them so much access? 208 secret rooms just seems like overkill, right? And that hidden chamber just inches from our fibre-optic cables... it's like they're trying to tap into our entire online life . I don't think the government is being transparent enough about this whole thing. Alicia Kearns seems spot on in saying that this is a recipe for disaster. We can't let China get their hands on all that sensitive info and just use it for economic warfare against us. Our trade restrictions got lifted, but now we're seeing our exports plummet? That's not the answer. We need to be more careful about who we trust and what we open up to them. This is a classic case of "be careful what you wish for" – we wanted China as a major player, but did we really think they'd just become friends overnight?