China urges caution over British Steel nationalisation plan

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Under plans announced by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on May 11, the British government could nationalise British Steel.

Under plans announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on May 11, the British government could nationalise British Steel.

PHOTO: AFP

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BEIJING – China on May 14 urged Britain to “make decisions prudently” over plans to nationalise British Steel, and called on the British government to “respect the wishes of firms and market principles, and avoid the abuse of administrative coercive measures”.

The British government seized operational control of British Steel from ​its Chinese owner, Jingye, in April 2025, and, under plans announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on May 11, could fully nationalise it.

China will closely follow the developments and “take strong measures to safeguard legitimate rights of Chinese companies”, according to a statement released by the Commerce Ministry.

The British government did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. REUTERS

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