UK business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds rejected EU calls for the UK
to add tariffs on Chinese goods, saying London will not change its trade rules
under Brussels’ pressure. He said political pressure to align with EU measures —
aimed at securing deeper economic ties — will not force UK policy. The comment
came amid the EU’s 2024 imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles over
concerns about deindustrialisation; Reynolds dismissed Brussels’ warning that
the UK could become a backdoor for Chinese cars into the EU. Speaking on a visit
to India, he said any UK decision on trade remedy tariffs will be made in the
UK’s interest, not at others’ behest, a stance that highlights lingering UK‑EU
divergence on trade and industrial policy and could complicate the prime
minister’s efforts to deepen ties with Brussels.
