CHINA will build hidden chambers just yards away from cables carrying some of Britain’s most sensitive information as part of its new “super-embassy”.
The plans for the underground rooms beneath the proposed 22,000 sq m diplomatic building on the site of the former Royal Mint have been redacted amid fears of a spy centre.
But according to documents seen by The Telegraph, Beijing plans to install 208 basement rooms under the embassy, some of which could facilitate espionage.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to give the plans the green light ahead of his trip to China later this month, when he will meet Chinese president Xi Jinping.
But drawings show that a single concealed chamber will sit directly alongside fibre-optic cables transmitting financial data to the City of London, as well as email and messaging traffic for millions of internet users.
Raising further concern, plans seem to indicate that the outer wall of the chamber, lying directly next to the cables, would be demolished and rebuilt.
This further fuelled fears that the important cables could be tapped by Beijing.
Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser, claimed that MI5 and MI6 warned him China was “trying to build a spy centre underneath the embassy”.
Alicia Kearns, the shadow national security minister, said that granting approval would hand China “a launchpad for economic warfare at the heart of the central nervous system of our critical national infrastructure”.
She added: “The unredacted plans reveal a concealed room running immediately alongside the fibre-optic cables critical to the City and Canary Wharf.
“Telegraph readers don’t need me to spell out the obvious threats posed, nor China’s subterfuge – so why does the Labour Government?”
A group of Labour MPs have urged the Government to reject China’s plan to build a mega-embassy in London.
Nine MPs raised security concerns and warned the embassy could be used to “step up intimidation” against dissidents in a letter to Communities Secretary Steve Reed, reports the PA news agency.
The MPs, including Sarah Champion – who is a member of Parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, said concerns about the proposal are “significant and unresolved”.
They cite “the recent track record of Chinese espionage cases, interference activities, and issuing of bounties against UK-based Hong Kongers”.
They also list “the fact that this embassy would sit above sensitive infrastructure critical to both the UK’s economic and national security”.
Despite concerns, the controversial embassy plan was given the go ahead by both MI5 and MI6 last year.
Beijing previously warned the PM would face “consequences” if the plans don’t get approved as a series of delays slowed the process.
The super embassy has already caused a headache within the Government with controversy breaking out over the plans.
The row around the new building centres on China’s bid to turn the Royal Mint Court site, beside the Tower of London, into what would be the biggest embassy in Europe.
China bought the 215,280 sq ft site for £255million from the Crown Estate in 2018.
Alarm bells were set off across Whitehall from the start, with security chiefs warning the site sits near key communications cables used by banks and government offices, making it a potential eavesdropping hub.
China has refused to hand over full internal blueprints, claiming it was “not appropriate” to disclose every room layout, further fuelling suspicion.
Further concerns were raised that the new embassy could be used as a “spy centre” after diplomatic sources revealed that the building will provide on-site accommodation for more than 200 intelligence officers.
