There are strong rumors and accusations that the potential approval of the Chinese “super embassy” in London is linked to, or is part of an exchange for, the lifting of sanctions by China against certain UK Members of Parliament.
“Offering to Labour” Accusation: Leading sanctioned MPs, such as Sir Iain Duncan Smith (who is one of the nine predominantly Tory parliamentarians sanctioned by China in 2021 for speaking out against human rights abuses in Xinjiang), have explicitly stated this. Duncan Smith has been quoted saying that China’s offer to lift sanctions is “an offering from China” to the Labour government to “grease the wheels” for their proposed new embassy facility at Royal Mint Court.
Timing of Developments: The timing is seen by critics as suspicious. The Labour government, under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, has reportedly moved quickly to re-engage with China since taking power in July 2024. This includes high-level meetings, and Starmer himself reportedly spoke with President Xi Jinping to press for the embassy’s approval, leading to the decision being “called in” by the Deputy Prime Minister. Simultaneously, reports from The Guardian (as noted by the Global Times) emerged in June 2025 suggesting China is considering lifting the 2021 sanctions on UK MPs.
Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Response: When asked directly if the lifting of sanctions was discussed during recent China-UK official meetings, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated they were “not aware of the specifics of the issue” but stressed that “Equality, mutual benefit, and meeting each other halfway form the foundation for growing bilateral relations and the principle for solving any differences.” This non-committal but suggestive language can be interpreted in various ways.
Political Context: The previous Conservative government had opposed the embassy project, partly due to grave warnings from domestic intelligence services about espionage risks. The current Labour government’s perceived readiness to approve it, coupled with the potential lifting of sanctions, is fueling the “dirty deal” narrative, particularly among opposition MPs and human rights advocates.
While there is no explicit, publicly confirmed “deal” or official statement from either government directly linking the two issues, the coinciding developments and the vocal accusations from sanctioned MPs strongly suggest that this exchange is indeed a significant rumor with some perceived basis in the political maneuvering between the two countries. Critics argue that it shows the UK government prioritizing economic and diplomatic engagement with China, potentially at the expense of human rights principles.
