People cool off in front of a misting station at Roland Garros during a heatwave in Paris, France, May 28, 2026. [Photo/Xinhua]
As record heat waves scorch Europe this summer, with temperatures shattering century-old records in France, Spain and beyond, a telling spectacle is unfolding. Europeans, long resistant to air conditioning due to architectural heritage rules, high installation costs and cultural habits, are scrambling for cooling relief. And where are they turning? To Chinese-made air conditioners.
Chinese customs data reveals that exports of air-conditioning units to the European Union surged dramatically — up 43.2 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2026 alone to $3.76 billion. Brands such as Midea, Gree and Hisense dominate, offering portable split units that bypass drilling restrictions in historic buildings. In Germany, secondary markets have seen units resold at 300 percent premiums, and shelves have emptied as consumers voted with their wallets for affordable, efficient Chinese engineering.
This is more than an anecdote. It is a stark metaphor for Europe's broader predicament. While Brussels obsesses over tariffs, subsidy probes and "de-risking" from China, the European public demonstrates the impossibility — and folly — of disengagement. The so-called "China Shock 2.0" narrative, peddled in elite circles, conveniently ignores the fact that Europe's industrial woes stem not from Chinese competition on the current account, but from chronic underinvestment on the capital account.
