Published on
17/07/2026 - 7:37 GMT+2
China condemned the UK's decision to nationalise British Steel, saying it “firmly opposes and is strongly dissatisfied with the British government's decision” and warning that the move had damaged Chinese companies’ confidence in investing in the UK, the country's Ministry of Commerce said on Friday.
On Thursday, the British government announced that it would take the loss-making company into public hands to protect jobs and safeguard a “vital national capability”.
The UK government took operational control of British Steel’s Scunthorpe operations in 2025 after Jingye considered closing the plant’s blast furnaces. However, the Chinese group retained ownership of the company, limiting the government’s ability to determine its future.
