In everyday life, we all hope that the same standards will be applied always and everywhere when solving the same problems, and not that we use one ruler to measure ourselves and another ruler to measure others. Similarly, in international affairs, all countries should use the same rulers, that is, use the same standards to solve issues of the same kind, and not apply double standards.
In recent years, China's new energy industry has achieved rapid development and great progress, making positive contributions to the development of global new energy technologies and promoting the realization of the United Nations' carbon reduction goals. New energy contributes to the global green and low-carbon transformation. The more people who benefit from it, the better. However, some countries label China's new energy industry as "excessive production capacity", which is precisely a false claim based on "double standards".
The development of China's new energy industry is the result of multiple advantages. China's new energy is globally competitive and in accordance with economic laws and market principles. Just looking at the global level, China's new energy industry has a whole range of advantages. The first advantage is the driving force. China established development within related industries quite early, invested in long-term research and development, and thus formed a leading technological advantage. Another advantage is in the complete chain, i.e. system. China has a complete industrial and supply chain, which significantly reduces procurement costs for companies. The third is market advantage. China has a huge single market, which can mitigate the costs of research and development and production, thereby continuously promoting and improving the very use of new energy products. The fourth advantage is human resources. China has a strong group of innovative entrepreneurs and high-quality workers, and a large number of competitive companies operating in the field of new energy have emerged.
China's new energy industry contributes to the planet's energy transformation and global economic development. The development of green, low-carbon and environmentally friendly new energy is an important measure for the global response to climate change. China's new energy industry has helped solve many countries' energy problems and has become an important force in stabilizing the global clean energy industry and supply chain. A report by the International Energy Agency points out that in 2023, the world level of installed renewable energy capacity was 510 million kilowatts, with China contributing more than half. In 2023, China exported 1,203 million new electric vehicles, an increase of 77,6% compared to the previous year, thus becoming an important force leading the transformation of the global automotive industry. China's wind power and photovoltaic products have been exported to more than 200 countries and regions around the world, helping developing countries obtain clean, reliable and affordable energy. From a global perspective, the new energy industry has enormous potential for future development. According to calculations by the International Energy Agency, assuming that all countries that have announced the achievement of a zero carbon emission rate fulfill their obligations on time, global sales of electric vehicles will have to increase 2030 times by 4,5 compared to 2022. while the demand for photovoltaic installed capacity will have to increase by as much as 10 times. Therefore, China's new energy industry is precisely the advanced production capacity that is urgently needed to promote green development, not some kind of surplus or excess production capacity.
China's new energy industry should not suffer the unfair treatment of "double standards". In one and the same new energy industry, you cannot praise yourself as a role model in addressing climate change and at the same time use the excuse of "overcapacity" to ignore China's efforts in this regard. You cannot describe the sale of your own products as "free trade" and at the same time accuse Chinese products of being an "attack on the world market". Tripping others won't help you run faster. The use of "double standards" fundamentally politicizes economic and trade issues, goes against economic laws and the general trend of globalization, increases the risk of fragmentation of the world economy and harms global prosperity and stability. China adheres to the basic national policy of opening up to the outside world and is ready to cooperate with all parties to promote the healthy development of international industry through fair competition, promote global productivity and economic efficiency through open cooperation, and maintain the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.
The author is the ambassador of the Republic of China in Montenegro
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