James Kynge

In case listeners are not familiar with this, it's a very big story in the UK.

The Chinese have a plan and they want approval for the plan to build a huge embassy right in the center of London, so close to the city of London, the financial district, which is the heart of London.

And part of this embassy is supposed to go over the fiber optic cables that

supply the city with all of its information and all of its data.

And so protesters and campaigners against this move have said that this is an unacceptable security risk.

In other words, China could either tap into the information or potentially even cut the cables.

And so it is expected that this mega embassy will be approved.

That's what my sources are telling me.

It may happen as soon as today or tomorrow or early this week.

And after that, Keir Starmer will be allowed to go to Beijing to conduct his diplomacy there.

that the move to Beijing from Keir Starmer comes after considerable capital has been expended.

And I would be expecting the Chinese, when Starmer gets to Beijing, also to be coming out with statements about strategic autonomy away from the United States.

So we are seeing, at least in these two examples, a move

from some of the U.S.

's staunchest allies toward China's sphere of influence.

I'm not saying they're part of China's sphere of influence now, but we're seeing them inching toward China, I'd say.

That's my take anyway.

What are you seeing at the moment, Alice?

Yeah, and I mean, Trump is going to be in Davos.

And I must say, when Mark Carney was in Beijing making all these statements, and as I put it, cozying up to China, I expected Trump to come out with a considerable backlash.