On October 28 local time, a statement by UK Prime Minister Starmer reignited the controversy over the new Chinese embassy building in the UK, which had been delayed for seven years.

Facing China's frustration with the prolonged approval process, Starmer not only showed no remorse but also firmly claimed that "the project would not be approved under external pressure," implying an attack on China.

This was not all. He then immediately made an irrelevant demand to China: to stop purchasing Russian oil.

This "provocative" move was not a sudden decision but a consistent operation by the Starmer government recently.

Earlier this month, the UK arbitrarily added 11 Chinese companies to the list of entities sanctioned over Russia. Additionally, Starmer mentioned two days ago that he had called Trump to discuss "how to pressure China." His sinister intentions are evident.

Regarding the new Chinese embassy building, we need to go back to 2018, when China spent 255 million pounds (approximately 2.3 billion yuan) to purchase the former Royal Mint site near London Tower.

This land, which had been vacant for over three decades, was planned as the largest diplomatic complex in Europe.

At that time, the British government clearly agreed to the purchase, and the design submitted by China fully complied with British building planning policies, receiving high praise from local professional institutions. There were no loopholes in terms of compliance and technical aspects.

However, the application for the construction of the new embassy, which should have been reasonably advanced, turned into a seven-year "approval marathon."

During these seven years, the excuses provided by the UK changed repeatedly, from "destroying historical scenery" to exploiting the "spionage risk," even including fabricated rumors by anti-China elements.

Throughout this period, the Chinese embassy in the UK has repeatedly clarified the situation, submitted the application materials, and thoroughly responded to all questions. The so-called "safety hazards" are nonsense, but the UK has always "pretended to be ignorant."

In August this year, the UK originally delayed the decision until October 21. Now, as October comes, it has again postponed the decision to December 10. The so-called "normal procedure" has long become an excuse for procrastination, essentially opposing China directly.

Now, they have even tied the project to the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the sanctions against Russia, almost turning a simple infrastructure project into a "political lever."

Nevertheless, there is likely another reason behind Starmer's sudden firm statement.

Recently, the UK prosecution dropped the charges against two men accused of being "Chinese spies" in 2023 due to lack of evidence.

But this result quickly became a weapon for the Conservative Party, which strongly criticized Starmer's government for being "weak on China" and even claimed that dropping the case was "afraid of angering China and harming the economy."

Although Starmer denied the accusations and blamed the previous government for the legal update delay, domestic political pressure forced him to urgently demonstrate "firmness" on China-related issues. The long-delayed Chinese embassy project became a tool for him to build a "firm" image.

Additionally, the shadow of the United States is also behind this dispute. It is reported that the White House warned the UK not to approve this project, and even Trump personally urged Starmer to reject China's application.

In the context of Sino-US competition, the UK is probably using its firm stance on China to show loyalty to the United States.

No matter what, seven years of waiting have exhausted China's patience. China has already issued a serious warning that the UK's behavior without any sense of contract is completely contrary to its statements about improving Sino-British relations. If this continues, the consequences will ultimately be borne by the UK.

Moreover, Starmer's unreasonable demands on China are absurd. We advise the UK to act properly, correct their mistakes, and stop "provoking incidents." Otherwise, when the contradictions escalate completely, it may be too late to turn back.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7566468102058213940/

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