China pins hopes on orderly Brexit
The country is ready to pursue parallel agreements with both Britain and the EU post Brexit
China hopes Britain’s exit from the EU can happen in an orderly way and that the bloc will reduce hurdles to Chinese investment and keep its markets open, China’s foreign ministry says. China, the world’s second-largest economy, has watched Brexit nervously, worried not only about potential market turmoil from a disorderly departure but about losing Britain’s supportive voice for free trade within the EU. “China hopes to see Brexit proceed in an orderly fashion and stands ready to advance China-EU and China-UK relations in parallel,” the ministry said in a lengthy policy document on EU ties. The EU and China are often at loggerheads over trade and other issues, with the EU sharing many of the same concerns as the US about market access, trade imbalances and intellectual property rights protection. The bloc is China’s largest trading partner, while China is its biggest trading partner after the US. The EU has been pressing for better access to the Chinese market for its companies, wh...
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