Europe is dealing with an inflation crisis, with the increase in energy prices being the main factor. This has caused great hardships for the people, leading to protests and strikes. Meanwhile, some Western think tanks and media have hyped up the "China Shock 2.0," depicting China's advanced manufacturing capabilities in areas such as electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaics as a "new round of pressure" on the global market.

CGTN Stringer interviewed people in France to hear their opinions about rising prices, housing pressure, employment prospects, income growth and living costs. They presented a more complex and multi-faceted picture of the European economic predicament beyond "external shocks." One interviewee said, "We have little to no state aid as entrepreneurs and we are heavily taxed," adding that she feels her purchasing power has diminished.