British media: Beijing asks foreign embassies in Hong Kong to provide floor plans

China requires foreign ambassadors in Hong Kong, along with consulates in mainland China, to provide floor plans of all leased properties in Hong Kong, but diplomats worry that this could be used for espionage, according to people familiar with the matter.

According to the British media "Financial Times", citing three people familiar with the matter, in the past few months, the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong has asked foreign missions in Hong Kong to provide a series of details about the workplace and residence of embassy personnel. Include floor plans, lease or sale terms.

In addition, Beijing has required that consulate staff be screened before they move into the building, the report said.

The newspaper quoted Hong Kong-based diplomats as saying they were still considering how to respond to the demands, and handing over floor plans was a particular concern because it could expose their property to espionage and Beijing Use this information to install monitoring equipment.

The Office of the Chinese Commissioner in Hong Kong did not respond to a request for comment.

The newspaper quoted Kurt Tong, a former U.S. consul general in Hong Kong who is now managing partner of the Asia group, as saying that until 2019, Beijing typically avoided strict regulations on Hong Kong-based diplomats because Beijing wanted to get foreign ambassadors to work. The mission operates unimpeded in Hong Kong, helping China do business with the world.

However, Beijing's current state of mind appears to be less welcoming of foreign delegations.

The request comes after Beijing last year required the United States to obtain permission before selling a residence in Shouson Hill to a local developer for HK$2.6 billion, the report said.

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