The construction of a new Chinese embassy in London has sparked concerns about the safety of Hong Kong's exiled activists. With a total area of 20,000 square meters, the embassy will be the largest of its kind in Europe, situated on the site of the former Royal Mint, which was purchased by China in 2018 for £255 million.
Carmen Lau and Simon, two individuals who have experienced transnational repression since fleeing to the UK, are particularly worried about the implications of the new embassy. Carmen, a former elected district councilor in Hong Kong, was subjected to a harassment campaign, which included anonymous letters from Macau and Hong Kong, featuring AI-generated explicit images of her and her address, as well as a £1 million bounty on her head.
Simon, who was tortured for 15 days by Chinese security before fleeing to London, believes that he is being followed and feels a sense of unease and insecurity, which he attributes to the new embassy. While some experts, like Charles Parton, think that the embassy will not make a difference, Carmen and Simon are still concerned about their safety and the potential increase in harassment they may face.
