Empty shelves and car shortages – what happens to the UK if China blockades Taiwan

Empty shelves and car shortages – what happens to the UK if China blockades Taiwan



Posted by theipaper

7 comments

  1. British shops would be left with empty shelves and its car showrooms deserted within weeks if China decided to blockade [Taiwan](https://inews.co.uk/news/how-people-taiwan-preparing-chinese-invasion-3235675?srsltid=AfmBOooz8ZIovpwylvKTGIqAkbYDZLoOsUIu6ro9EXsusMPagSmMTxNW&ico=in-line_link), experts have warned.

    The global economy’s reliance on the island nation, which produces more than 60 per cent of the world’s semiconductors and 90 per cent of the most advanced computer chips, means the impact of a blockade on GDP would be devastating and could lead to one of the biggest worldwide recessions since the Second World War.

    Governments and think tanks have war-gamed different scenarios in expectation of a partial blockade or quarantine, a full blockade and a [full-scale invasion](https://inews.co.uk/news/uk-europe-running-out-weapons-taiwan-china-invasion-3228835?srsltid=AfmBOorVUuM7dCS3Ii2kAADILNrYYy7Sc4XKdP07J9-vHbhxM64vTcd3&ico=in-line_link).

    Analysis by the Rhodium Group think tank, using shipping data, said an all-out conflict over Taiwan would cost the global economy $2.5trn, while Bloomberg Economics earlier this year said the blow would be closer to $10trn, around 10 per cent of global GDP.

    It would have severe consequences for Europe and the UK, and could trigger shortages of several goods, components and ingredients, from electronics and chemicals to trainers, clothing and household goods.

    Whitehall sources declined to comment on the content of scenarios for a blockade or invasion of Taiwan, but *The i Paper* understands they do exist.

    However a possible operation by Beijing against Taiwan is understood to be outside of the remit of the UK government’s audit of its approach to China, which is due in the new year and focuses on relations between London and Beijing.

    The scenarios will worry China hawks [such as Tory grandee Iain Duncan Smith](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/starmer-soft-china-delaying-security-law-3235101?srsltid=AfmBOooB8EtFyvJ3P33svND1NWVyeRk8nLY1XZJgjyeXLBFNEYBXwyPG&ico=in-line_link), who are already concerned over Labour’s plans to thaw relations with China.

    Chancellor Rachel Reeves will visit China for two days in January to revive economic and financial talks that have been frozen since 2019, according to Reuters.

    Labour has promised a ‘pragmatic approach’ to China and insisted national security will always come first.

  2. This is what happens when a government decides we don’t need a manufacturing industry.
    We end up relying on countries like China.

  3. Hence why defense, particularly force projection like our two carriers and the ships required to form a CSG are particularly important, despite the best efforts of some to have us convinced we don’t need them.

  4. Yeah but the economic backlash against china would be huge.

  5. Chinas going through a strange strange internally too. It’s leader may have been told to be quiet and fix problems and not make more. There’s been newer faces appearing around him.

  6. I’m all for the defence of Taiwan but perhaps we should be humming a similar tune to the US and trying to import the microchip experts from Taiwan, producing domestically to lower costs and reliance on foreign territories? Did we learn nothing from Russia and gas? We can’t exactly rely on the US given the constant threats of tariffs, why do we never invest in domestic production and insist on trade in an increasingly volatile world?

Comments are closed.