Steel spat poses immediate China challenge for UK's new PM Burnham

British Steel nationalization sparks backlash from Jingye, Beijing ministries

British Steel's plant in Scunthorpe, northern England, in March 2025: The U.K. government nationalized the operation "to protect the future of steel production" in the country, after its Chinese owner wanted to shut it down. © Reuters

TOKYO/LONDON -- The U.K.'s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, faces an early diplomatic test as China lashes out over the nationalization of British Steel and tensions build over Chinese inroads into key industries.