A reward of one million Hong Kong dollars,” along with a UK phone number, are written at the bottom in red. Provide information on this wanted person and the related crime or take her to Chinese embassy” is the straightforward directive to earn the about £95,000 in compensation.
In front of me is the woman from the picture. The sight of the edifice makes her cringe. In place of the much smaller space it has inhabited since 1877, China plans to transform the majestic building that originally housed the Royal Mint into a new mega-embassy in London.
Chinese security personnel are already patrolling the new location, which is across from the Tower of London. Additionally, the building is surrounded by CCTV cameras. In 2021, while pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong were being detained, 30-year-old Carmen escaped the city.
According to her, the UK shouldn’t permit China’s “authoritarian regime” to establish a new embassy in such a prominent place. With such a large embassy, she worries that China may intimidate and even imprison political opponents there.
Some dissidents are also concerned that its proximity to London’s financial area may provide a risk of espionage. Then there is the criticism from locals who claim that it will endanger their safety.
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