This episode discusses how Chinese air conditioners, especially Midea portable split units, have sold out across Europe amid severe heatwaves, driving prices up even for second-hand products.
This scarcity is a supply-and-demand issue: European consumers want efficient, low-installation cooling, yet many European buildings lack insulation and installing traditional air conditioners require lengthy approvals.
At the same time, the EU faces pressure from trade tensions with China, including concerns about a large trade surplus and accusations of Chinese industrial "overcapacity." These accusations are undermined by the fact that Chinese exports are effectively meeting Europe’s practical needs, while the deeper causes are described as structural problems within the West, such as industrial hollowing-out and rigid innovation systems.
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