Britain's trade minister said the UK is in talks with European partners about potential tariff measures on Chinese electric vehicles, prompting an immediate warning from Beijing that it would take "resolute countermeasures" to defend the legitimate rights of its industry if restrictions are imposed, industry media CnEVPost reported this week.
China urged Britain to abide by World Trade Organization rules and to "think twice before following the EU's example." Brussels has already moved to quotas on Chinese hybrid vehicles as part of a recent trade consensus with Beijing, and the prospect of London joining any restriction regime has become a key variable for Chinese carmakers' European strategies.
The stakes are concrete for brands already in the UK: MG, owned by SAIC, and BYD both sell there, and tariffs would directly erode their price advantage. British policymakers face a trade-off — aligning with the EU could protect UK-based manufacturers' position in Europe, but invite reciprocal measures that hit their own interests in the Chinese market.
Source: CnEVPost, October 20, 2026
