Posted on 12/02/2022 3:07:27 PM PST by nickcarraway
Local officials in London overwhelmingly rejected plans for a massive, new Chinese Embassy on Thursday.
The decision over the long-planned project is a bitter setback for the Chinese government, which currently operates its embassy out of a townhouse in central London. It also comes as a once-promising "golden era" in relations between the two countries has deteriorated in recent years.
In turning down the Chinese government's plans, councilors in the London borough of Tower Hamlets cited the need to protect 14th century ruins inside the proposed embassy grounds as well as concerns about potential terrorist attacks, public protests and traffic jams. The 870,000-square-foot complex was to be housed inside the United Kingdom's old Royal Mint near the Tower of London and was to be the biggest embassy in the country.
"It was a big defeat for them tonight," said Peter Golds, a local council member, referring to the Chinese government. "I'm absolutely delighted. It's real people power."
While local officials focused on planning concerns, speakers at the hearing also raised political ones, including Chinese officials' behavior on British soil and their human rights record at home. They cited Chinese consular staff beating a pro-democracy protester inside consulate grounds in Manchester in October.
They also raised the Chinese government's incarceration of an estimated 1 million Uyghurs in detention camps in western China and its crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.
Among the speakers was Simon Cheng, a Hong Kong activist who was detained by Chinese mainland authorities in 2019 while working for the British Consulate in Hong Kong and eventually fled to London.
"We should not compromise and grant an authoritarian state the power to upgrade their facilities to suppress dissenting thoughts in the U.K.," Cheng said after the decision.
Local councilor argues the decision was based on the merits Councilor Shafi Ahmed insisted the council had made its decision based on the merits.
But in his area of Tower Hamlets, which has a large Muslim population, the community also sympathizes with the persecuted Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority in China.
When asked about China's policies toward the Uyghurs, Ahmed said he felt "disheartened, broken."
The Chinese government, which spent more than $300 million to buy the empty property, did not have an immediate comment on the decision. At a ceremony celebrating the purchase in 2018, Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to London at the time, praised the acquisition as a milestone in Chinese-British relations.
"I hope our two countries will work together to write a new chapter for the China-U.K. 'golden era,'" Liu said.
Earlier this week, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared that era was over.
The Chinese government can still appeal the rejection of its embassy plan to the British government.
20 acres
That is NOT an Embassy-—
THAT is a foothold.
20 acres
That is NOT an Embassy-—
THAT is a foothold.
Good news
The Russian oligarchs already bought the rest of the good London properties.
It would be Chinese Police Headquarters.
maybe they could call it a police station or something? /sarc
The ChiComs have more than a foothold now.
This BS is just a show for the masses.
I use to jog in that area when visiting London. I am glad the Chinese got the British finger. Good for the Brits!
There should be a broom closet that isn’t being used
somewhere in London.
Gosh, I can't imagine why the Brits don't want an enemy listening post in their own capital, within reach of all their major politicians and royalty. Not stupid, maybe?
When the Chicoms built their diplo mission in New York to support their UN Spy Ring--I mean, their UN delegation--when they were admitted, they picked literally the highest point on Manhattan Island, with unobstructed, point-to-point reach to every point in the city. Ideal for all kinds of wave communication. And projectile communication.
They broke every rule of protocol for a diplomatic roost. And nobody had the b*lls to tell them to f off. Maybe the Leftists thought it was neat.
It would be a shame if somebody left something in a garbage can nearby.
A forward base of operations.
Nope
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