Conclusion

Abstract

China’s commercial relationship with Britain from 1949 onwards began with the CCP’s policies and actions regarding private British interests inside Chinese territory. It is best viewed initially in the context of Beijing’s efforts to reverse the historical trend by restoring Chinese control over institutions and practices which had been identified as manifestations of Western encroachment of the nation’s sovereign rights and independence. These represented the first element embodied in the concept of national liberation: the power and ability to eliminate foreign domination over the key sectors of government and of the country’s economic life. The British government at first hoped that the Chinese communists might face insurmountable economic weaknesses which the West could utilise to their advantage. The recognition that Britain lacked strong cards in this respect, combined with the policy of containment which was gaining currency following the start of the Cold War, led Britain to an increasing reliance on the multi-layer regime of export restrictions as political tension mounted.