Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has declared that the UK government will not impose tariffs on Chinese vehicle imports, resisting pressure from Brussels to align its trade rules with the European Union.
Mr Reynolds stated that the government would not yield to calls from other countries for the UK to implement import taxes on Chinese vehicles, despite political pressure to do so in exchange for deeper future economic ties with the EU. The EU previously imposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in 2024 and, last Friday, agreed a quota of 350,000 Chinese hybrid cars annually.
Concerns from Brussels that the UK could serve as a 'back door' to the European market for Chinese goods were dismissed by Mr Reynolds. He clarified that the UK currently has no major Chinese manufacturers based in its automotive sector, meaning vehicles are not being made in the UK and then sent to the single market via such a route.
These comments highlight ongoing divisions between the UK and EU on trade and industrial policy, ahead of a UK-EU summit confirmed by Andy Burnham to be held in Brussels on 20 November. The Prime Minister told the Commons on Monday that he sought a "serious dialogue" regarding the UK's place in Europe, framing the summit as a potential first step towards EU membership.