LONDON (AP) – The UK government said on Tuesday it had purchased enough raw materials to allow the last-made blast furnace in the UK to operate in the “next weeks.”
The news comes from concerns that the government’s decision to seize British steel from Chinese owners will deepen tensions between Britain and China. The Chinese Foreign Ministry warned on Monday not to “politicize” the issue as British officials expressed concerns about China’s investment in strategic industries.
The issue has dominated British politics since Saturday, when Prime Minister Keir Starmer recalled legislators in the spring recession so parliament could pass emergency legislation that would allow the government to exercise operational control over British steel.
The move was reported that the company’s owner, Jingye Group, attempted to keep the explosive furnace running by starving the steel business in Scunthorpe, northern England, through factories that starved the iron ore. This puts the prospect that the UK will lose the last plants that can produce high-quality steel from scratch, as restarting them will be difficult and expensive once the explosion furnace is shut down.
The Ministry of Commerce and Trade said the raw materials unloaded on Tuesday will be shipped after the government agrees to pay for it. Another piece of goods will be on the way to Australia after the government settles a legal dispute with Jingye.
“After a lot of work over the weekend, the government has secured cola and iron ore particles for the explosion furnace and is confident that there will be enough materials to keep the furnace burning,” the department said in a statement.
Although Singer remains the owner of British steel, the government says temporary nationalization may be looking for other investors to rescue the company.
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry warned the UK on Monday to treat Guyer fairly and avoid the issue of “politicization and overinvestigation” “to avoid affecting Chinese companies’ confidence in UK investment and cooperation.”
