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The decision by the UK Government to approve the Chinese request to build a large embassy compound in the heart of the City of London has been met with surprise and concern by those who work on China. Due to the nature of its authoritarian regime and its Digital China strategy, Beijing has long been perceived as a threat to digital infrastructure and cyber resilience. While British security services have not vetoed the embassy, the fact is it will be built less than 100 centimeters from key underground data cables – carrying financial and government information. There is also concern that the size of the Embassy would allow it to endanger many Hong Kong, Taiwanese, and Chinese citizens who strongly disagree with the regime. After all, China has been known to open “secret police stations” in other countries in order to track, spy on, and intimidate its opponents. This panel seeks to explore these issues and debate their significance in a public setting.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith

Member of Parliament. Former Leader of the Conservative Party (2001 – 2003).

Gareth Corfield

Correspondent for the Telegraph.

Luke de Puilford

Executive Director for the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China

Dr John Hemmings

Director for the National Security Centre at the Henry Jackson Society