Johnson Approved China’s London ‘Super-Embassy’ in 2018

Published: 29 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Documents disclosed by The Guardian reveal that Boris Johnson, then UK foreign secretary, approved China’s proposal to establish a sprawling “super-embassy” in London in 2018. The approval, sent in a letter to China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, described the development as “China’s largest overseas diplomatic investment” and laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most contentious real estate and diplomatic projects in recent UK history.

Johnson’s consent allowed Royal Mint Court, a 20,000-square-metre site in central London, to be designated as diplomatic premises. The Chinese government purchased the property the same month for £255 million. In his letter, Johnson praised the proposal, emphasising that the redevelopment of China’s embassy in Beijing and the London project would be “bold expressions of the strength of UK-China bilateral relations.” He also referenced political commitments at the highest levels, citing assurances previously given to the British embassy in Beijing and Eddie Lister, Johnson’s former chief of staff in City Hall who later held a senior Downing Street role. Lister played a key part in brokering China’s purchase of the site.

“I am pleased to confirm that I have today agreed to grant consent for Royal Mint Court to be designated as diplomatic premises, on the basis of your assurances and the further detail provided by the Chinese ambassador to London,” Johnson wrote in May 2018. “I welcome the fact this is China’s largest overseas diplomatic investment. The redevelopment of our embassy in Beijing will be one of our largest overseas diplomatic investments. I am committed, as I am convinced you are, to ensuring that our projects develop alongside each other.”

The disclosure highlights that the Conservative government, under Theresa May, privately gave Beijing assurances that allowed the project to proceed. Yet, seven years later, the plans remain stalled, facing intense political, local, and security scrutiny. Tower Hamlets council initially refused planning permission in December 2022, and the application eventually expired. The project resurfaced after China reapplied for permission once Labour entered government. Ministers subsequently called in the decision, removing it from local council control, reportedly following direct discussions between Chinese President Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The issue has sparked tensions between the Conservative opposition and the current Labour government. Conservative figures have questioned whether Labour also offered private assurances to China, similar to those given under Johnson’s tenure, without making them public. Tory minister Kemi Badenoch told ITV’s Peston that the plans should be scrapped, saying, “Given everything we know, this project is no longer appropriate.”

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy confirmed the purchase of Royal Mint Court in 2018 and said the UK government had given its consent at the time. The embassy representative criticised the UK for repeatedly delaying approval, accusing it of showing “a total lack of the spirit of contract, credibility and ethics.” The statement also noted that both countries had plans to build new embassies in each other’s capitals and urged mutual facilitation of these projects.

The British government has been caught in a complex diplomatic balancing act. Starmer told Bloomberg that decisions regarding the embassy would be made “in the proper way regardless of any views or pressure from anyone,” rejecting claims of capitulation to Chinese demands. Meanwhile, Oliver Robbins, the top Foreign Office official, visited China in October 2025 to try to unblock the situation and resume refurbishment of the British embassy in Beijing, which has been stalled while London deliberates on the super-embassy.

The controversy has also intersected with broader security concerns. Ministers have faced scrutiny following the collapse of a high-profile trial against two men accused of spying for Beijing under the Official Secrets Act. Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, a teacher, both denied the charges. Conflicting accounts emerged at a parliamentary committee hearing over why the case failed. Prosecutors argued that the fault lay with evidence provided by the government, while a government official claimed legal advice suggested the evidence was sufficient.

Conservative MPs demanded that the government release minutes of a Whitehall meeting held on 1 September 2025 that discussed the trial’s implications and its potential link to broader security risks, including the embassy project. Some MPs argue that the collapse of the trial illustrates deeper gaps in UK oversight of Chinese activities, both commercially and diplomatically, adding urgency to debates over the embassy’s approval.

The Johnson-era approval has reignited discussions about transparency in UK foreign policy and the handling of Chinese investment in sensitive locations. Critics argue that granting consent without thorough parliamentary scrutiny raises questions about national security, local governance, and the influence of private diplomatic assurances. Supporters claim the approval was part of normal diplomatic practice, reflecting efforts to maintain strong bilateral relations with China while modernising diplomatic infrastructure in London and Beijing.

As the debate continues, the Royal Mint Court project remains in limbo, emblematic of broader tensions in UK-China relations. The Chinese embassy has argued that delays hinder both nations’ plans for new diplomatic premises, effectively freezing a long-term bilateral development. For local residents and officials in Tower Hamlets, concerns over scale, security, and community impact remain unresolved, highlighting the complex intersection of national foreign policy and municipal planning.

While Johnson’s letter demonstrates early Conservative support, the project now falls under the scrutiny of a Labour government that faces pressure to balance diplomacy, local concerns, and national security imperatives. The disclosure of the 2018 approval adds another layer to the political debate, illustrating how decisions made by former ministers continue to influence UK-China relations today.