According to a report by the British newspaper The Guardian on October 14, British Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said during his visit to India this week that the British government will not impose additional tariffs on Chinese cars as other countries do. He stated that although the European Union is trying to exert political pressure on Britain, Britain will not change its trade rules due to such pressure.
Reynolds said, “I just want to make one thing clear: when we decide anything related to trade protection tariffs with the EU, we are considering the interests of the UK—not any other country’s demands. In 2024, we have carefully studied these issues and continue to evaluate them based on industry needs. But ultimately, it depends on the fundamental nature of the UK automotive industry.”
He pointed out that the UK automotive industry is an export-oriented industry, and the British government must take this into account when formulating policies.
British Secretary of Business and Trade, Rewrence
Starting from October 2024, the European Union will impose additional countervailing duties on pure electric vehicles manufactured in China, with the tax rate reaching up to 45%. However, the UK has not followed the EU's measures. Recently, the EU has sought to further restrict the import of hybrid vehicles from European countries, planning to set import quantity limits.
Some EU politicians immediately claimed that Britain would provide a alternative path for Chinese car companies building factories in the UK, allowing them to enter the EU through a “tax-free route”. Reynolds refuted these claims, emphasizing that Britain would not become a “backdoor to the EU single market”.
Reidson admitted that the British government has not ruled out the option of imposing additional tariffs on Chinese cars, but the UK will not change its trade rules due to pressure from the EU. He warned that the UK is being urged to 'align' with the EU in exchange for deeper economic ties, but the British government will not succumb to political pressure from the EU.
The Guardian reports that some EU officials have been pressing the UK to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles as a condition for the UK’s entry into the EU market under new trade rules. Reynolds has previously rejected this option, fearing that if the UK imposes additional tariffs on Chinese cars, it could harm British car companies.
