China Criticizes UK-US Trade Deal Targeting Chinese Goods

China has strongly criticized the recent UK-US trade deal, accusing both countries of designing the pact to exclude Chinese goods from British supply chains, which complicates the UK government's efforts to restore relations with Beijing. The deal, the first formal trade agreement signed by the Trump administration after imposing broad tariffs, includes strict security measures for UK steel and pharmaceutical sectors and aims to prevent the UK from becoming a backdoor for circumventing US trade restrictions on China. Beijing emphasized that international cooperation should not harm the interests of third parties, implicitly referring to China, and warned that such provisions act as a 'poison pill' worse than tariffs. The UK’s acceptance of the deal’s terms, including a baseline 10 percent tariff on British goods and compliance with Section 232 security tests aimed at China, signals a closer alignment with US trade and security policies. This development has deepened the economic tensions between the UK, US, and China, posing diplomatic challenges for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's administration, which has been seeking to improve ties with Beijing. Despite the criticism, some UK industries like steel and automotive receive sector-specific relief under the agreement, but only if they meet stringent US security conditions.