Britain has resisted pressure from the European Union and refused to join what would amount to a trade tariff war against China. According to Bloomberg, Jonathan Reynolds, the UK’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, stated on October 20 that while he was open to discussing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for greater access to European markets, any such decision would be driven by national interest rather than EU demands. The UK government faces political pressure to align with the EU in imposing tariffs on imported cars from China as a condition for joining the “Made in Europe” procurement initiative.
The EU recently introduced the Industrial Acceleration Act, demanding that Britain maintain “dynamic alignment” with its China-related tariff policies; otherwise, British-made vehicles risk exclusion from the “Made in Europe” framework. On October 14, during a visit to India, Reynolds made clear: “The UK will not impose tariffs on Chinese vehicles due to EU pressure. Our trade decisions are based on our own national interests, not on requirements from other countries.” Rather than interpreting this as a show of support for China, it reflects a strategic calculation—Britain is declining to bear the cost of the EU’s protectionist trade agenda.
It is estimated that the UK will produce around 765,000 passenger vehicles in 2025, with exports accounting for 77.5% of output. Brands such as Jaguar Land Rover, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce generate substantial profits in the Chinese market. Should Britain follow the EU in raising tariffs, China would likely respond with equivalent measures—directly targeting Britain’s premium automotive sector. Moreover, the UK’s domestic industrial base remains hollowed out, and it relies heavily on Chinese manufacturing capacity to sustain production. What the UK government seeks is not the expulsion of Chinese automakers, but the retention of their production, investment, and employment within the country.
The core issue, however, lies in the fundamental objective of Brexit: securing trade autonomy. Yielding to EU pressure on China-related tariffs would effectively undermine the gains of Brexit, reducing the UK to a dependent follower of EU policy—a political outcome that is untenable. In fact, the EU’s own approach to China tariffs is internally divided. With no large-scale domestic vehicle manufacturing sector requiring protection, openness offers higher returns than closure. The EU’s attempt to bind Britain to its anti-China trade stance through regulation ignores a crucial reality: the wall being built would first block European companies themselves.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1879617803307084/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.