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2026-07-30 05:39 UTC → 2026-07-30 09:53 UTC ·
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In late July 2026, severe heatwaves Heatwaves across southern and central Europe in July 2026 drove a sharp surge increase in demand for cooling equipment. air‑conditioners, prompting Chinese manufacturers such as Midea, Gree and Haier responded with record to expand overseas sales of air‑conditioners, adding and add new production capacity and shipping units to markets like France within weeks. EU capacity. European officials began debating possible tariffs on these imports, tariffs, while Chinese authorities warned that restrictions would hurt consumers. The following day, the European Heat Pump Association urged Chinese heat‑pump makers firms to relocate production and investment invest locally to Europe. Its director stressed that local manufacturing, joint ventures avoid protectionist measures. On 29 July, Midea Group reported an additional 200,000 air‑conditioner orders in a single month, including about 160,000 units of its portable “PortaSplit” model. The company responded by opening a new assembly line at its Wuhu factory, producing 20,000 units in three and training programmes were essential a half days and shipping the first batch to preserve market balance France within a week. EU leaders in France, Germany and avoid protectionist actions, noting Belgium reiterated calls for tariffs, arguing that European‑assembled heat pumps already dominate the market while Chinese share remains low. Together, surge threatens local industry. Meanwhile, EU‑China trade talks are slated for the snapshots illustrate coming months to address a €360 billion trade imbalance recorded the previous year, with the cooling‑equipment surge forming a focal point of the negotiations. The situation illustrates a rapid escalation of European Europe’s reliance on Chinese cooling technology amid climate‑driven extreme heat, coupled with growing calls from intensifying European industry pressure for greater localisation and the prospect of Chinese supply chains. trade remedies.