(International Observer) Has the UK’s “original dream” of “Brexit” three years ago come true?
China News Agency, Beijing, February 1st: Has the “original dream” of the UK’s “Brexit” three years ago come true?
Author Zhang Huandi Xiao Yudi
Three years have passed since the UK formally left the EU on January 31, 2019. How has “Brexit” affected the UK in three years? Why did the proportion of people who support Britain’s “Brexit” fall? What is the relationship between the UK and the EU after Brexit? Kong Yuan, an associate researcher at the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and an expert on British affairs, pointed out in an exclusive interview with the China News Agency that although the UK has fulfilled some of its political demands for “Brexit”, its problems have not economic problems solved by “Brexit”, which is extremely important. It has greatly affected public opinion on the issue of “Brexit” in the UK, and the relationship between the UK and the EU has also been tested by the issue of “Brexit”.
“Brexit” seeks freedom, but it’s hard to get what you want
Kong Yuan pointed out that the concern about being “marginalized” was an important reason why the UK chose “Brexit”. With the deepening of EU integration, the UK’s influence on EU affairs decisions is gradually diminishing. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the euro crisis and the flow of refugees that Europe has faced have also made the UK increasingly dissatisfied with some of the EU’s systems and decisions.
Kong Yuan believes that part of Britain’s “Brexit” political demands have indeed been realized. After the UK leaves the EU, it will no longer be constrained by EU laws and regulations, and therefore regain more autonomy, and can help the country develop by reforming or drawing up regulations. In addition, the British Conservatives, represented by former Prime Minister Johnson, gained popular support by promoting the “Brexit” agenda and stabilizing the ruling power.
At the same time, the UK hopes to become a “UK in the world” that has an influence on global affairs through “Brexit”, not just a “UK in Europe” that has an influence on European affairs only. Kong Yuan believes that Britain at this point failed to get what it wanted.
“It can be seen from the diplomatic efforts made by the UK after leaving the EU that the UK has the will to show its global leadership, but in reality it does not have the ability to act and implement this will. The UK also has a high awareness of its own national strength. It depends on the location of many countries.” Kong Yuan analyzed.
“Brexit” worsens the economy
Kong Yuan pointed out that although some people think that the UK will get economic benefits through “Brexit” in the long run, in fact, the UK has so far failed to fulfill any economic requirements of “Brexit “.
Kong Yuan said that similar to political appeals, the UK hopes to open a wider market through “Brexit” and reach trade partnerships with more countries in the Asia-Pacific and other regions, but this move has not achieved good results. . “Although the UK has signed free trade agreements with several countries such as Japan and Australia, signing free trade agreements with the US and other countries is nowhere in sight, and more work is needed on key issues such as joining The Comprehensive Regime and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) A lot of time.”
Kong Yuan also pointed out that the British economy itself has structural problems, such as severe de-industrialisation, heavy reliance on consumption and services, and an insufficient workforce. On these issues, “Brexit” not only alleviated the problem, but made it worse.
London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is an important financial city in the world. After Brexit, a large number of financial institutions left London and moved to other regions. Britain lost a large number of talents and its competitiveness declined. The Ukraine crisis since 2022 has also put more pressure on the British economy. For a period of time, strikes from all walks of life in the UK have been a microcosm of economic recession.
When the United Kingdom held a referendum on “Brexit” in 2016, the proportion of people who supported “Brexit” was 52%. However, a recent poll released by data statistics agency Statista shows that 54% of Britons polled think leaving the EU is wrong, while only 34% think it is the right decision .
In this regard, Kong Yuan said that more and more British “Brexit” people began to get discouraged and even regret their choices, and economic problems were an important reason for this phenomenon.
“Brexit” left complex problems, UK-EU relations are facing a test
Some media in Germany believe that after the Brexit of the UK, the EU has lost its second largest economy and the second largest net contributor to the EU budget, which has an irreparable negative impact on the development of the EU itself. Although the EU has repeatedly persuaded the UK to abandon the “Brexit”, it has not stopped the UK’s “Brexit” from becoming a reality. The many remaining debates and problems of the “Brexit” issue are also testing the relationship between the UK and the EU.
“Issues relating to Northern Ireland are an extremely complex problem. Although the UK and the EU have reached a certain consensus on related issues and signed the ‘Northern Ireland Protocol’, there are problems with some of the regulations, and the UK and the EU have still not been able to reach an agreement on amending the regulations. Unanimously.” Kong Yuan said, “On the other hand, the UK and the EU have only reached a ‘Brexit’ agreement on trade, but have not established a new trade agreement. There is no mature mechanism on defense and security cooperation , and related issues have yet to be resolved.”
Kong Yuan believes that the complex issue of “Brexit” has caused a rift in the relationship between the British government and the European Union, especially during the period when Truss was British Prime Minister. However, after Sunak took over as British Prime Minister in October 2022, he made many attempts to repair the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. “Sunak realized that only by handling the relationship with the EU properly can it be possible to solve the UK’s economic problems,” said Kong Yuan. (finish)
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