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A decision on whether to authorize Beijing's request for a recent large diplomatic complex in London has been deferred once more by the government.

Housing Minister Steve Reed had been scheduled to decide on the application by 21 October, but the deadline has been moved forward to 10 December.

It is the second time the government has postponed a decision on the disputed site, whose placement has generated apprehensions it could pose an intelligence gathering danger.

A determination had first been expected by 9 September after ministers assumed authority of the operation from Tower Hamlets, the regional government, last year.

Protection Issues Raised

China bought the site of the proposed fresh embassy, at Royal Mint Court, close to the Tower of London, for £255m in 2018. At 20,000 square metres, the suggested development would be the largest embassy in Europe should it proceed.

The awaiting decision on whether to approve the recent embassy was earlier under close scrutiny because of concerns about the safety consequences of the plan, including the placement, scale and layout of the facility.

The site is near data transmission cables transporting messages to and from banking organizations in the City of London. Concerns have been raised that Beijing agents could employ the site to intercept the connections and listen in.

Latest Changes

More concerns have been highlighted in the past few weeks about the type of the danger created by Beijing, following the collapse of the case against two men accused of espionage for China.

The National Prosecution Authority unforeseeably withdrawn accusations against parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash, 30, and scholar Christopher Berry, 33, last month. Both men refute the accusations.

Prior Deferrals

The government's initial postponement was asked for by Reed's predecessor Angela Rayner, after she asked China to detail why certain areas within its planning documents had been obscured for "protection issues".

Architectural specialists employed by the Chinese embassy had responded that China "does not believe that, as a basic concept, it is necessary or appropriate to provide detailed room arrangements".

Rayner had responded in writing to parties participating in the review, including China, the London police and a neighborhood group, to give them more time to reply to the schemes and putting the deadline back to 21 October.

Existing Conditions

Reed, who acquired the housing role following Rayner's departure last month, has now requested more time before a final decision requires completion.

In a document seen by media outlets, the housing department said additional time was needed due to the "thorough quality" of responses received so far.

It mentioned that it was incapable to set a new deadline for fresh comments until it receives outstanding replies from the International Relations Department and Home Office.

Suggested Features

The proposed complex would contain work spaces, a substantial underground space, housing for 200 employees, and a recent underground connection to connect the Embassy House to a distinct structure on the consulate property.

Official Statements

Beijing's request for the embassy was originally denied by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022 over security and protection worries.

It reapplied an equivalent request to the municipal government in August 2024, one month after the new government took office.

The Chinese Embassy in the UK has previously said the new complex would enhance "mutually beneficial cooperation" between China and Britain.

In a recent government message published together with Reed's correspondence clarifying his reasons for the most recent postponement, a China diplomat said objections to the property were "either unsubstantiated or unreasonable".

Critical Perspectives

The Political Rivals said Administration members should throw out the application, and alleged them of trying to "muffle the warnings about the dangers to national security" posed by the embassy site.

The Alternative Group also called for the request to be prevented, encouraging the administration to "confront China".

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Calum Miller said it would be "crazy" for cabinet members to authorize the diplomatic project to go ahead, after alerts from the chief of MI5 on Thursday about the threat of Beijing spying.

Protection Apprehensions

A former chief advisor to Boris Johnson said MI5 and MI6 had cautions him China was "seeking to establish a spy centre below the embassy," when he was working at Downing Street.

Remarks made on a government program, the counselor said the services had advised him that authorizing the embassy to be built would be "a very poor decision".

In his yearly address, the security director said "China national operatives" represented a state security danger to the UK "each day".

He stated that the UK had to "guard itself strongly" against China, while also being able to "capitalize on the chances" from maintaining connections with Beijing.