British Public Opinion towards the UK-China Economic Relationship: Written evidence (Business and Trade Committee)

This submission provides evidence on British public opinion towards the UK’s economic relationship with China, drawn from two nationally representative surveys of 2,100 British adults conducted in February and March 2026.

Key Findings

The British public significantly overestimate the extent of the UK’s economic relationship with China, but there is no evidence that more knowledge about UK-China ties would change their policy preferences.

Despite high overall negativity to China, when presented with concrete trade-offs, the public weigh economic benefits against risks to the country’s values, security, and domestic industry.

Public opinion on UK-China economic policy is primarily influenced by Brexit cleavages and the use of TikTok. Leave voters are significantly more hostile to economic engagement; TikTok users are more favourable.

Favourability towards China rose significantly after the US invasion of Iran, but this has not translated into any desire for closer economic ties. The public do not view China as an economic substitute for the United States.

Recommendations

The Government should not base its policies on the perception that the public hold firm preferences on the country’s economic relationship with China.

There is no evidence for a public consensus for or against closer ties. When announcing decisions on Chinese trade, investment, or market access, the Government should explicitly set out the trade-offs involved.

The China-UK economic relationship is especially vulnerable to populist rhetoric. Building China literacy may not change views on economic policies to China now, but may help to guard against populist-led polarisation in the future.