London: The United Kingdom (UK) government postponed its decision on establishing a new Chinese embassy in London until next October, "due to the need for more time to consider the responses."
The British Ministry of Housing announced in a statement that it will issue a decision on whether to proceed with China's plan to build its largest embassy in Europe in London by October 21, instead of September 9, due to the need for more time to consider the responses, and after Beijing refused to provide a full explanation for why several areas were obscured in the building's drawings.
Politicians in UK and the US have warned the London government against allowing China to build the embassy on the site due to concerns it could be used as a base for espionage.
A planning consultancy working for the Chinese government explained that its applicant deemed it inappropriate to submit full plans of the building's interior layout, noting that additional drawings provided an acceptable level of detail after the government asked why a number of areas had been obscured in the drawings.
"In these circumstances, we consider it is neither necessary nor appropriate to provide additional more detailed internal layout plans or details," the firm said.
Earlier this month, the Chinese embassy in London said that allegations that the building may contain secret facilities used to harm British national security were despicable slandering.
It's worth noting that China's plan to build a new embassy on the site of a two-century-old building near the Tower of London has stalled over the past three years due to opposition from local residents, lawmakers, and pro-democracy activists in Britain.
