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The White House has raised national security concerns with the United Kingdom over China's plan to build an embassy complex near London's financial district, according to The Financial Times.

China plans to construct a 20,000-square-meter embassy, which will be significantly larger than its current one by 20 times, making it the largest in Europe. The plan has raised alarms among U.S. and U.K. officials.

The location raises concerns that China could gain access to sensitive information from one of its key allies, according to a senior U.S. official.

A former head of British intelligence, Richard Dearlove, claimed that the location would allow Chinese spies to gather information without being detected.

In 2022, the United Kingdom initially rejected the proposal due to concerns related to national security and local considerations. However, the project has re-emerged following advocacy from Chinese President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The Labour government has announced that security concerns will be thoroughly assessed during the planning phase of the proposed project. In contrast, opposition leaders are advocating for a complete prohibition of the initiative.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has contended that the

US raises alarm over China's plans for massive embassy near London financial hub