Why a Chinese ‘mega embassy’ is not such a worry for British spies
The Debate Over China's Mega Embassy
While there has been an abundance of politicians eager to raise concerns about China's proposed "mega embassy" near the Tower of London, the espionage community quietly takes a different view, arguing that these concerns are exaggerated and misplaced. The question at hand is whether this development poses a significant threat to British intelligence.
Modern Technology and the Changing Nature of Espionage
The domestic Security Service, MI5, is already quietly welcoming the prospect of rationalizing China's seven diplomatic sites into one. However, a more significant argument is that modern technology and the nature of the Chinese threat mean that, in the words of one former British intelligence officer, "embassies are less and less relevant."
Spies have long operated from diplomatic outposts, posing as officials or trade envoys. If, as is expected, China is granted planning permission this month to build a new embassy complex at Royal Mint Court, it will employ over 200 people. All are expected to be Chinese nationals, in line with Beijing's normal policy, from the lowest kitchen porter to the ambassador, with residences provided on site.
The Role of Undeclared Officers
Among them will be a handful of undeclared officers from China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) and military intelligence. According to one former MI6 officer, "they will be acting as "radars", highlighting contacts of potential interest, getting to know people," all of which are routine intelligence tasks.
The Advantages of a Single Site
Yet it will not be easy for any of them to engage in the "serious business of espionage", the former officer argued, not least because any embassy would be a "magnet for attention and surveillance". A single site, officials have argued, makes that task easier, allowing MI5 to monitor the activities of Chinese officials, if needed, as they conduct themselves across the UK.
Psychological Impact of Surveillance
It is also a psychological warning, subtler than the embassy-monitoring techniques used by China and Russia in their own back yard. British diplomats who have worked in Beijing or Moscow already operate on the premise they are watched and monitored digitally 24 hours a day. "You have to assume your life is not your own," said John Foreman, a former UK defense attaché to Moscow in the run-up to the start of the war in Ukraine.
The Controversy Over Cable Tapping
One concern raised is the potential for cable tapping. The Daily Telegraph reported that publicly available floor plans for the embassy had been heavily redacted, but the newspaper obtained the full floor plans, revealing 208 previously blacked-out rooms, including a "hidden chamber" near high-speed internet cables running through the adjacent street. The cabling, the newspaper suggested, could be at risk of being tapped underground.
Addressing Concerns
However, insiders add that even though the Royal Mint Court site is roughly between London's two financial districts in the City and Canary Wharf, the concerns about cabling are exaggerated. "Traffic can be re-rerouted and, if necessary, cabling removed," an official said.
Recent Espionage Incidents
Recent espionage incidents in the UK demonstrate that China does not run key intelligence operations out of embassies. Much of Beijing's spying activity is conducted from China – from where it has hacked into global phone networks, in the Salt Typhoon episode. Pressure placed on researchers at Sheffield Hallam University to halt research about human rights abuses in China was conducted in Beijing. Three recent attempts by China to interfere in the Westminster parliament have all been conducted outside the embassy.
The Way Forward
The embassy is only a small part of the total espionage threat from China; we need to be more alert to where the real dangers are coming from, when to be permissive and when to be assertive, a former senior Whitehall official said. The debate over China's mega embassy highlights the complex nature of modern espionage and the need for a nuanced approach to national security.
