Men dressed in green and yellow work clothes and helmets with Chinese writing are now a familiar sight on what is fast becoming Canberra's most talked about building site.
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The embassy of the People's Republic of China is clearly not affected by the shortage of suitable sites in Canberra for diplomatic missions, as it embarks on an ''extension'' across the road from its high-security complex.
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A large green wall surrounds the building site in Yarralumla, which is discretely tucked away among trees on the corner of Alexandrina and Flynn drives, across from Lake Burley Griffin.
Men of Chinese appearance can be seen working on the site, which includes a two-storey structure and several shipping containers.
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Local construction industry sources say it has been uncommon in recent years for foreign missions to bring in their own workforce for building projects.
The project is being described as the ''new Chinese embassy'' but a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman confirmed China would also retain its landmark site, which opened in 1990. ''Following discussions between the Australian Government and the Chinese Government, the lease for the new embassy site was signed on January 12, 2005,'' she said.
''The current Chancery building will be retained by the Chinese embassy.''
An embassy spokeswoman declined to give details of what was being built on the new site, describing it simply as ''an extension project''.
The spokeswoman refused to say if Chinese workers would build the extension or respond to rumours an underground tunnel would link it to the main embassy buildings.
The embassy's sensitivity about the project may be made understandable by the 1995 bugging scandal. The Keating government was embarrassed by the revelation that Australia and the United States had used fibre-optic cables laid during construction of the embassy and a receiver at the British high commission to eavesdrop on Chinese diplomats.
National Capital Authority chief planner Andrew Smith said approval from the authority was required for construction on embassy land but he could not discuss projects being undertaken by specific missions.
''There is an expectation that all embassies build to the Australian building standards,'' Mr Smith said.
The NCA recently completed the first stage of a public consultation process on the possible allocation of land for new embassies.
Areas being considered included land near the old brickworks in Yarralumla, on Stirling Ridge and part of the Red Hill Golf Club.
The NCA is working on the assumption that sites for up to 30 new embassies will be required over the next three decades.
Mr Smith said there were still unallocated sites left in O'Malley but some countries said they were difficult to develop.
''There's a problem for development for the embassies because they are quite steep,'' he said.
The People's Republic of China's first embassy staff in Australia arrived in 1973 and initially stayed at the Rex Hotel before renting a six-bedroom house in Red Hill for $330 a week.
The embassy was based in the old Commodore Motel in Watson until it moved to the current site.