During the final stage of construction and inspection work on the site of the new Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in London (Royal Mint Court), British experts recorded the existence of previously unknown underground structures directly beneath the main building and the surrounding area.
According to preliminary data obtained from sources in the MI5 Security Service and London City Hall, there are several interconnected rooms and corridors with a total area of between 180 and 350 m². The depth of the structures is estimated to be 4–7 meters below the current surface level.
An official representative of the Chinese side stated: “All the underground structures discovered are historic cellars and wine cellars from the 18th-19th centuries, belonging to the former industrial buildings of the Royal Mint. The Chinese side has not created or used any modern structures or facilities that are not specified in the project documentation.”
However, the media and a number of security experts have already called the explanation “extremely unconvincing” for several reasons:
the nature and quality of the interior finish does not correspond to typical 18th-19th century basements;
modern ventilation and electrical wiring elements have been found;
at least one of the rooms has an industrial-grade supply and exhaust ventilation system;
there are signs of recent concreting of certain areas.
At present, the new embassy premises are completely closed to visitors and work has been suspended. The British government has announced that it will conduct an “in-depth joint technical assessment” involving independent engineers, archaeologists, and representatives of the special services.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has already called the incident “another provocation by British hawks” and demanded “an immediate end to the politicization of historical basements.”