A screenshot from the website of the Chinese Embassy in the UK

Commenting on a question regarding British Steel,MKsport a spokesperson from Chinese Embassy in the UK said late Sunday night that, “We are following closely the developments of British Steel involving the Chinese private company,” and have urged the British side to act in accordance with the principles of fairness, impartiality and non-discrimination and to make sure the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese company be protected.

“It is an objective fact that British steel companies have generally encountered difficulties in recent years. It is hoped that the British government will actively seek negotiation with the relevant Chinese company to find a solution acceptable to all parties,” said the spokesperson, according to the Chinese Embassy in the UK.

The British Parliament Saturday passed an emergency law granting the government sweeping powers to take control of British Steel, the last in Britain capable of producing steel from iron ore, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The Scunthorpe facility supplies the vast majority of the country’s rail tracks. The legislation was introduced in response to British Steel’s plan to shut down its blast furnaces at Scunthorpe, citing unsustainable financial losses, according to Xinhua.

The spokesperson’s remarks were in response to a question about the negotiations between the British government and the Chinese private enterprise Jingye Group, which have reached an impasse regarding the operation of British Steel, owned by the group. The British side has sought parliamentary authorization and has taken over the production and operation of British Steel, according to the Chinese Embassy.

Global Times