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...