The decision effectively kills Ming Yang's plan to build the UK's biggest turbine factory, with Shanks stating the government cannot support the use of the turbines in UK offshore wind projects and has informed developers of this. Scottish First Minister John Swinney accused the Labour government of sabotaging Scotland's industrial future, saying he was not informed before the announcement. This move comes amid broader UK-China tensions, with trade minister Sir Chris Bryant saying in January that the UK had to be clear-eyed in its relationship with China.
Liam Byrne, chairman of Westminster's Business and Trade Committee, warned that over-reliance on China in strategic sectors leaves Britain exposed to coercion, disruption and unfair competition. Ministers and officials had been examining potential national security implications around Ming Yang since it was linked last year to a supply deal for the Green Volt floating wind farm. The Ministry of Defence raised issues about Chinese companies building wind farms for Britain.
We cannot support the use of (the turbines) in UK offshore wind projects ... we have informed offshore wind developers of this.
Last year, the UK government intervened to prevent Jingye, the Chinese owner of British Steel, from shutting down blast furnaces in Scunthorpe. US Congressman John Moolenaar labeled China a foreign adversary. The Chinese Communist Party dismissed the comments as baseless and discriminatory.
The decision followed a lengthy deliberation process, but it remains uncertain how many jobs exactly would have been created beyond estimates of up to 1,500, and what alternative plans exist for building the UK's largest turbine factory.
Was I blindsided by this? Yes, I was.
This has been kicking around in the UK Government, they’ve had it for 18 months, and I’ve heard on countless occasions there’s going to be a decision this week, no there’s not – and it’s gone like that for ages.
Don’t tell me there was a coincidence that that announcement was made at the very end of the Scottish parliamentary session.
That’s not a UK Government acting in good faith and they no longer are acting good faith.
Our Committee has consistently warned that in a more unstable world, where China has too often resorted to the tactics of economic coercion, we simply can't surrender control of our energy supply chain in ways that create the risk of new and unwise dependencies.