Britain to ‘turbocharge’ trade with China

China spits fire at ethnic unity law pushback; Beijing hosted biological warfare training for Russia

Observing China is the essential newsletter to understand the UK-PRC relationship, explained in the context of global developments.

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Yesterday, two important measures came into effect regarding the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which I have covered over the past few months. First is the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, which Beijing adopted in March this year.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) says it is ‘to further strengthen [sic] the unity and cohesion of the Chinese nation’, and that the PRC’s ethnic minorities will benefit from it. However, human rights experts outside the PRC warn that it aims to erode their rights and rituals, with a view to forced assimilation.

The other, less controversial (to some) measure that came into effect was the tax on small packages entering the European Union (EU) from third countries, in a move seen to be targeting the PRC. According to the EU, 91% of all parcels valued at less than €150 (~£130) – and thus eligible for not paying tax – which entered the largest multi-country single market in the world in 2024 were from the PRC.

Meanwhile, a high-level business delegation from the PRC is in the UK, with the aim to launch a platform to help British businesses expand in the Chinese market.

Welcome back to Observing China.