The sheet of paper says "Wanted Person" at the top. Below is a photo of a young woman, a headshot that might have been taken in a studio. She looks directly at the camera, smiling with her teeth showing, and her dark, shoulder-length hair is neatly brushed. At the bottom, in red, are the words: "A reward of one million Hong Kong dollars," together with a UK phone number. To earn the money, about £95,000, there is a simple instruction: "Provide information on this wanted person and the related crime or take her to Chinese embassy". The woman from the photo is standing in front of me. She shudders when she looks at the building.
We are outside an imposing structure that was once home to the Royal Mint and which China hopes it can develop into a new mega-embassy in London, replacing the far smaller premises it has occupied since 1877. The new premises, opposite the Tower of London, is already being patrolled by Chinese security guards. The building is ringed with CCTV cameras too. Carmen, who is 30, fled Hong Kong in 2021 as pro-democracy activists in the territory were being arrested. She argues that the UK should not allow China's "authoritarian regime" to have its new embassy in such a symbolic location.
One of her fears is that China, with such a huge embassy, could harass political opponents and could even hold them in the building. There are also worries, among some dissidents, that its location - very near London's financial district - could be an espionage risk. Then there is the opposition from residents who say it would pose a security risk to them. The plans had previously been rejected by the local council, but the decision now lies with the government, and senior ministers have signalled they are in favour if minor adjustments are made to the plan.
The site is sprawling, at 20,000 square metres, and if it goes ahead it would mark the biggest embassy in Europe. But would it also really bring the dangers that its opponents fear? The biggest embassy in Europe China bought the old Royal Mint Court for £255m in 2018. The area has layer upon layer of history: across the road is the Tower, parts of it were built by William the Conqueror. For centuries kings and queens lived there. The plan itself involves a cultural centre and housing for 200 staff, but in the basement, behind security doors, there are also rooms with no identified use on the plans.
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