Don’t expect Britain to copy EU, American tariffs on Chinese cars

LONDON — While its allies slap steep tariffs on Chinese state-subsidized electric vehicles, Britain is sitting tight.

The U.S., EU and Canada have put up barriers this summer after multiple probes found Beijing boosted its EV sector with billions in support, threatening homegrown carmakers.

But Britain, desperate to decarbonize its economy, thinks it’s found a third way.

It’s mulling an alternative strategy to its allies that could lead to a surge of imports of Chinese EVs to the U.K. And that risks a backlash from Britain’s China hawks concerned about an over-reliance on Beijing in the country’s economy.