GOVERNMENT ‘NOT RULING OUT’ ANOTHER CHINESE PARTNER – British Steel’s new owners could stay Chinese.
Industry Minister Sarah Jones suggests another Chinese partner is a possibility, despite Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds saying he “personally” wouldn’t want to involve China in the UK’s “sensitive” steel sector.
It comes after ministers rushed through an emergency bill to take over British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant, after talks with Chinese owners Jingye broke down, sparking a race against time to keep the furnaces running.
In an interview, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said that he would not “personally bring a Chinese company into our steel sector” again, describing steel as a “sensitive area” in the UK.
But asked if the government was ruling out the possibility of another Chinese partner, Ms Jones said, “We’re not at the moment abd added, “I’m not going to say yes or no to anything that isn’t on the table or being looked at.
