LONDON, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Western claims of "overcapacity" against China are politically motivated and fail to acknowledge how the country's rapid technological advancement and strong performance in global manufacturing are the results of decades of strategic development, said a political economist at the University of Cambridge.
In an interview with Xinhua, Dr. Jostein Hauge, a political economist and assistant professor in development studies at the University of Cambridge, rejected Western accusations that China is "flooding" markets with cheap products or that it is suffering from "overcapacity," calling them "misleading."
Countries buy Chinese products, he explained, because they are "high-quality goods at a relatively good price," which benefits both consumers and businesses globally.
Hauge noted that China has consistently demonstrated a clear vision to upgrade its industries.
He added that China is expected to continue expanding its leading role in global manufacturing, citing projections from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization that the country's share could reach around 45 percent by 2030.
"There is reason to believe that China's share will continue to grow for a few years," said Hauge. "In clean energy manufacturing, such as solar, wind power, and lithium-ion batteries, does it make sense to talk about overproduction when we're in a climate emergency? I don't think so."
According to the economist, Western criticism is primarily driven by competitiveness concerns, such as the future of Europe's auto industry, and by a long-standing assumption that "Western hegemony is the natural state of the world."
By reducing its own emissions and exporting clean technologies, China has enabled other developing countries to enjoy greater "ecological policy space," Hauge said.
