China criticises UK for delaying ruling on new embassy

LONDON (Reuters) -China accused Britain on Monday of lacking "credibility and ethics" after the UK government postponed a decision on whether to approve Beijing's plan to build a new embassy in London.

China's plans to build its biggest embassy in Europe near the Tower of London have stalled for the past three years because of opposition from local residents, lawmakers and Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners in Britain.

Last week, Britain again delayed a decision on whether to approve the plan, days after ministers faced pressure over the collapse of a trial of two men accused of spying for Beijing.

The Chinese embassy in London on Monday expressed "strong concern and opposition" to the latest postponement, which pushes a final decision on the project back to December 10.

"The UK has shown a total lack of the spirit of contract, credibility and ethics," the embassy said in a statement. "It has repeatedly put off the approval ...citing various excuses and linked the project with other issues, constantly complicating and politicising the matter."

The British government cited delays in receiving input from different government departments as the reason for the move.

Some British media have reported that the government had given assurances to China over the approval of the embassy, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson said: "No such assurance could have been given, as this decision is subject to a quasi-judicial process, independent from the rest of government."

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti and Alistair Smout; Writing by Catarina Demony; Editing by Ros Russell)