The construction of a new Chinese embassy in London has raised concerns about the safety of Hong Kong's exiled activists, who fear that the embassy will exacerbate the existing threats they face. The embassy, which will occupy 20,000 square meters of space, is situated on the site of the former Royal Mint, a location that was purchased by China in 2018 for £255 million. This development has sparked a debate about the implications of the embassy for the diaspora in the UK.
Carmen Lau and Simon are two individuals who have experienced transnational repression since fleeing to the UK. 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. The new embassy has raised questions about the role of surveillance and the impact of the Chinese government's actions on the diaspora in the UK.
