People leave flowers at a memorial for murdered MP Jo Cox outside Batley Town Hall as they arrive to vote in the EU referendum in Batley, northern England on Thursday. The bitterly-fought, knife-edge referendum could tear up the nation's EU membership and spark the greatest emergency of the bloc's 60-year history. Photo: AFP

Polling stations opened Thursday morning across Britain for the crucial EU referendum after a fraught four-month debate over the country's future direction had left the result too close to call. 

Voters must now decide whether the UK remains a member of or leaves the European Union. Several polls conducted by media outlets and research centers have given the "Remain" camp a marginal lead, with the latest poll run by Natcen Social Research showing 51 percent support continued EU membership, with 49 percent against.

A few people were lining up outside polling stations in east London before they opened at 7 am, despite heavy rain and storms that had swept across the capital.

Lydia Lacey, a Yoga teacher voting "Leave," told the Global Times at a polling station, "The EU is a corrupt super-state. The UK is gradually going downhill piece-by-piece with the new legislation and laws the EU keeps implementing. I want a government that can take control."

Julie Denise, a financial analyst voting "Remain" said, "Just think how many friends you got that were not born here but worked hard and contributed to the economy as much as we British people. UK would be stronger staying in."

Several countries, including the US, Australia and Japan, as well as many international business leaders and financial institutions, have expressed their hope that the UK would vote to stay in the EU.

Hua Chunying, spokesperson for China's ministry of foreign affairs said Thursday at a regular press briefing in Beijing that China supports the progress of the European integration and is willing to see a united, strong and stable EU to play an important role in international affairs.

The referendum has led to a tit-for-tat debate among Britons, with some on social media posting comments like a "Brexit" will "harm the nation's interests in multiple areas," while others said that "a UK exit will only benefit the country."

Professor Iain Begg from the European Institute at the London School of Economics voiced his concern over the economic impact of Brexit.

"The consensus is that there is going to be a GDP loss in a Brexit scenario. If that happens, jobs will be lost. You spend more to reduce higher levels of social welfare spending," Begg told the Global Times.

"We think issues can be done better with Britain far more involved. We want Britain to play a bigger role in the EU to make it more effective," said Mark Boleat, chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee at the City of London Corporation.

Ryan Bourne, head of public policy at the Institute of Economic Affairs, on the other hand, said on Twitter on Thursday that he supports a Brexit because "it's a huge opportunity to promote economic and democratic freedom at home and abroad."

A record 46,499,537 people are entitled to take part in the vote on Thursday. The final result is estimated to come through at around breakfast time on Friday, the BBC reported.

Decline in EU influence

While believing overall Sino-EU and Sino-UK relations will not be heavily affected by the UK's possible exit, experts reached by the Global Times on Thursday expressed concern over such a scenario, agreeing that a Brexit would not suit China's national interests.

Wu Yikang, director of the European Studies Center at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that Brexit would definitely make a dent in the EU's power position in the international political and economic arenas, as well as complicate China's diplomatic relations with other EU countries.

"A strong EU can achieve regional stability and development, and play a decisive role when it comes to international affairs. Brexit would weaken the EU's influence, leading to more member countries' possible exits," Wu said.

Agencies contributed to this story