Recently, Europe and the United States have begun to amplify the notion of China's supposed "overcapacity" in the production of electric vehicles and solar panels, asserting that it poses a threat to the global market.
Given this, a commentary in the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung (New Journal of Zürich) on April 23 pointed out that the West's complaints about China's "overcapacity" are both hypocritical and shortsighted.
A BYD Seal U all Electric EV car is displayed during the Geneva Motor Show 2024 at Palexpo on February 26, 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland. /CFP
The article stated that many European automakers haven't taken the upcoming switch to electromobility seriously enough, and yet are now calling on the EU Commission to restrict imports of Chinese electric cars. Instead of warning of the "Chinese threat", the Western industrialized countries would do better to face up to the competition, benefit from good and cheap products and push for equal market access in exchange for more Chinese green energy products entering the European market, the article suggests.
(Cover via CFP)