China's Competitiveness: Efficiency, Not Unfairness
L'essentiel
- EU leaders are considering trade defence measures against China's 'overcapacity,' but the author argues this is a misnomer.
- China's manufacturing growth stems from its integration into global supply chains and adherence to international standards, making its products competitive through efficiency and expertise, not unfair practices.
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EU leaders are considering expanding trade defence measures against China's 'overcapacity,' a move that mirrors US protectionist policies and signals a shift in global trade dynamics.
Beijing should not be accused of trade unfairness simply because Chinese companies have become efficient, innovative and globally competitive
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Wang Huiyao is the founder of the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based non-governmental think tank.
Published: 8:30pm, 23 Jun 2026Updated: 9:27pm, 23 Jun 2026
At the recent Brussels summit, the leaders of all 27 European Union states called on the European Commission to expand the bloc’s trade defence toolbox against “global macroeconomic imbalances”, widely understood to refer to China’s so-called overcapacity.
Measures under discussion include mechanisms for sector-wide tariffs and other restrictions in industries such as chemicals and green technology. Europe, long a critic of Washington’s Section 301 tariffs, is now considering instruments that increasingly resemble them.
For decades, the United States and Europe championed an open trading system built on multilateral rules, comparative advantage and global supply chains. They also urged China to open up its markets, lower tariffs, welcome foreign investment, strengthen intellectual property protection and integrate into the rules-based trading system.
Yet, as industrial competition intensifies, governments increasingly fear deindustrialisation, supply-chain vulnerabilities, technological dependence and the political consequences of economic dislocation. From Washington’s tariffs and industrial subsidies to Europe’s growing embrace of trade defence instruments, protectionism seems to be back in vogue.
That is the context in which the “overcapacity” debate exists. Overcapacity is a misnomer. China’s manufacturing capacity grew because it opened up and integrated itself into global supply chains. Chinese products became more competitive through scale, market discipline, infrastructure, industrial clustering and decades of manufacturing expertise.
02:41
EU leaders debate new China trade policy over ‘systemic threat’
China changed laws and regulations to meet international standards. It welcomed foreign joint ventures and wholly foreign-owned enterprises, deregulated its economy, created more incentives for businesses and entrepreneurs, and offered stronger protection for intellectual property rights. In other words, China did the things its trading partners wanted it to do.
À surveiller
Perspective IA — des possibilités, pas des certitudes
EU may implement new trade defence instruments targeting Chinese overcapacity.
Probable · En quelques mois
Questions ouvertes
- Will the EU implement sector-wide tariffs against China?
- What specific industries will be targeted?
- How will China respond to potential EU trade restrictions?
