China has issued a straight warning to the UK government to treat the Chinese owners of British Steel fairly.
This warning came two days after the UK passed a new law in an effort to keep the blast furnaces working in Scunthorpe.
The bill was passed in a single day after Parliament was recalled for a special Saturday sitting, which was the first of its kind in over 40 years.
This action was taken after the Chinese company Jingye had stopped sending important materials needed to keep operations going, as per Sky News.
An spokesperson from the Chinese embassy said, "We are following closely the developments of British Steel involving the Chinese private company."
The statement continued, "We have urged the British side to act in accordance with the principles of fairness, impartiality and non-discrimination and to make sure the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese company be protected."
"It is hoped that the British government will actively seek negotiation with the relevant Chinese company to find a solution acceptable to all parties," the statement added.
The UK Department for Business and Trade said that they are working to get important materials, such as coking coal and to make sure that all workers at the Scunthorpe steel plant are paid.
It said that it’s very important to quickly set up new ways to get these supplies because if the blast furnace cools down too much, the steel inside could harden and seriously damage the machines, possibly in a way that cannot be fixed.
