China has advised Britain to proceed with caution regarding the British Steel nationalization proposal

China cautioned Britain to approach the nationalization of British Steel with care and to honor the rights of the Chinese companies involved.

On Thursday, China’s commerce ministry urged the British government to adhere to market principles and honor corporate decisions as London deliberates on assuming full control of British Steel from its Chinese owner, Jingye.

In April 2025, the British government took operational control of British Steel from Jingye, and on Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed that the company might ultimately be fully nationalized.

According to a statement from the commerce ministry, Beijing announced that it is closely monitoring the situation and has pledged to “take strong measures to safeguard the legitimate rights of Chinese companies.”

Chinese officials urged Britain to approach the situation with care and to refrain from actions that might weaken investor confidence or disturb regular market functions.

The British government has yet to provide a response to a request for comment from Reuters.