China
Taking a "harsh retaliatory stance" could close doors to future investments elsewhere in Europe, said Veerle Nouwens, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a British defense and security think tank. "Irrespective of Chinese grandstanding, we can't forget that China is also still recovering economically from the pandemic. It may therefore feel that the costs of reacting very strongly against the UK may outweigh the benefits of doing so," Nouwens added.