January 21, 2026
The United Kingdom has approved plans for a new Chinese embassy in central London. The decision has been delayed three times before its approval on 20 January, with opposition parties and residents warning about potential security risks. Once built, the new embassy would be the biggest Chinese diplomatic outpost in Europe. The approval for a new Chinese embassy, along with a potential visit by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Beijing, indicates attempts by the United Kingdom to form closer ties with China. Heightened security measures may be anticipated at the site of the proposed embassy due to potential localised protests.