Chinese Embassy Comments on British Steel Developments

A spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in the UK addressed the situation surrounding British Steel late Sunday night. The embassy stated that they are closely monitoring developments involving the Chinese private company and British Steel. They urged the British government to uphold principles of fairness, impartiality, and non-discrimination, ensuring the protection of the Chinese company's legitimate rights and interests.

The spokesperson acknowledged the challenges faced by British steel companies in recent years. They expressed hope that the British government would actively engage in negotiations with the relevant Chinese company to find a mutually agreeable solution.

This statement followed the British Parliament's passage of emergency legislation on Saturday. This law grants the government extensive powers to take control of British Steel, the last remaining British steel producer capable of producing steel from iron ore. The Scunthorpe facility, a key component of British Steel, supplies the majority of the country's rail tracks.

The legislation was introduced in response to British Steel's plans to shut down its blast furnaces in Scunthorpe, citing unsustainable financial losses. The spokesperson's comments were made in response to questions about the stalled negotiations between the British government and the Chinese private enterprise, Jingye Group, regarding the operation of British Steel, which is owned by the group. The Chinese Embassy noted that the British government has sought parliamentary authorization and has assumed control of British Steel's production and operations.