As it makes its maiden voyage up the English Channel next week, not much will visibly distinguish the BYD Explorer No 1 from any of the other giant cargo ships ploughing through the world’s busiest shipping lane.
In fact, it heralds a revolution. When it deposits its contents in the Dutch port of Vlissingen on Wednesday, the Explorer will start either the next wave of Chinese worldwide manufacturing dominance or a trade war, depending on the tolerance of voters and politicians in Brussels and London.
