The Ministry of Commerce of China File photo: VCG

Asked to comment on media reports that the UK government will introduce legislation to nationalize British Steel, a subsidiary of China's Jingye Group, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Thursday that whatever actions the UK government takes, it should fully consider the enormous investment the Chinese firm have made in British Steel and their contributions to the UK economy and society, respect the wishes of the companies and market principles, refrain from abusing administrative coercive measures, and actively seek fair, just, and mutually acceptable solutions with Chinese companies.

The spokesperson urged the UK to adhere to the principles of fairness, impartiality, and non-discrimination, act prudently and after careful consideration to effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and safeguard the hard-won positive atmosphere in China-UK economic and trade relations. 

China will closely monitor the developments and take effective measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, the MOFCOM spokesperson said.