Brexit casting long shadow

Border processes

"Some are establishing subsidiaries in the EU from which they export and import to avoid border processes. Many have hired new teams to look after the EU trade arm of their business," he said. "However, a significant minority (11 percent) have completely stopped trading with the EU altogether."

Kong Yuan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, said that as the EU's decision-making process is quite complicated, Brexit has enabled the UK to be quicker and more flexible in tackling global issues. But leaving the bloc has had a great negative impact on the UK's economy, with long-lasting effects.

"Getting away from the EU market invisibly drives up the cost of trade between Britain and the EU and has made Britain's economic growth slow even further," he said.

Kong said that over the past few years, British politics has been divided over the issue of Brexit, without an effective consensus. As a result, there have been frequent changes in the UK's leaders. Issues such as how to work together with the EU in the economic sector, and on the migrant crisis, will continue to divide the views of the UK government.

However, it is unlikely that the UK will have another referendum to rejoin the EU, and the UK has to seek connection with the bloc under the exit arrangements, he added.