In their submission to the inquiry last month, Lammy and Cooper stressed the “importance of countries having functioning diplomatic premises in each other’s capitals”. The UK is currently seeking permission from the Chinese authorities to rebuild its own embassy in Beijing.

China’s plan to build a giant embassy at the site of Britain’s old Royal Mint in the heart of London sparked mass protests on Saturday. Leaders from the opposition such as Robert Jenrick, Tom Tugendhat and others also joined in the demonstrations,

The new embassy, if approved by the UK government, would be the “biggest Chinese embassy in Europe”. Read more at straitstimes.com.

LONDON: UK shadow ministers and fellow Opposition Conservative Party parliamentarians were among hundreds of protesters who descended upon the propose.

Clashes broke out with the police as more than a thousand people gathered outside Royal Mint Court, the proposed site for a "mega-embassy" for China in London.