In 2020, British aviation giant Rolls-Royce was in serious financial trouble and in danger of bankruptcy. At this time, China reached out and offered to help, but Rolls-Royce refused, they did not hesitate to refuse China's help, and even said excitedly that they would not cooperate with China. What kind of conditions made Rolls-Royce so strongly refuse, or are there other hidden reasons?
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, full name Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, is Europe's largest manufacturer of aero engines. Founded in 1906, it initially produced mainly automobiles and internal combustion engines, with brands such as Bentley and Rolls-Royce. However, after World War II, Rolls-Royce turned its focus to the development and production of aero engines.
In 1971, Rolls-Royce lost a huge amount of money due to the development of new engines, and was forcibly spun off by the British government, and since then the automobile business and the aviation business have been separated. Rolls-Royce began to focus on aero engines and launched the RB211 series of three-rotor engines, which were so successful that they became one of the leading contemporary large civil aircraft engines.
Although there are some gaps compared to companies such as General Electric, Rolls-Royce has expanded its business through mergers and acquisitions. In the late 90s, when competition with General Electric was fierce, Rolls-Royce began to look to the Chinese market and seek new growth points.
Rolls-Royce's attempt to work with Continental began with the C919 Large aircraft program. With the rapid growth of the mainland economy, the civil aviation industry has also risen rapidly, becoming one of the fastest growing markets in the world. As an important force in the civil aviation industry, the C919 large aircraft launched by Continental has attracted global attention. Recognizing the huge potential of the Chinese market, Rolls-Royce hopes to cooperate with Continental to jointly develop engine technology to seize the opportunity in the Chinese market.
However, it was at this critical moment that Rolls-Royce rejected the mainland's offer of cooperation. Mainland proposed conditions for cooperation including the construction of engine production lines in China and the purchase of engine manufacturing technology, but Rolls-Royce explicitly refused. This has sparked speculation from the outside world, what is the reason why Rolls-Royce refuses to cooperate with the mainland so strongly?
The pressure behind the United States is undoubtedly an important reason. In the global economic competition and geopolitical landscape, the United States has maintained a strong hegemonic position, especially in the aviation field. If Rolls-Royce deeply cooperates with China, it may cause dissatisfaction among US companies and even be sanctioned by the US government. That's one reason why Rolls-Royce executives are so adamant when they refuse to cooperate.
On the other hand, the close cooperation between the UK government and the US on foreign policy may also have an impact on Rolls-Royce decisions. After Brexit, the relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States has become closer, and it may be difficult for the British government to ignore the pressure from the United States, which influenced Rolls-Royce decision-making.
Whatever the real reason for refusing cooperation, this incident once again shows that key technologies and industrial upgrading cannot rely on external forces. The country must be based on independent innovation and master core technologies in order to be invincible in the highly competitive international market.