BEIJING,April11(Xinhua)--InviewofChina'srisetothetopoftheglobalcarexportmarket,Washington'sresponsehasbeenmarkedbyapalpableunease.Ratherthanaddressingunderlyingissueswithdomesticcompetitivenesshead-on,U.S.policymakersandtheiralliesinthemediahaveresortedtoprotectionistrhetoric,invokingtheconvenientbutdubioustheoryof"Chineseovercapacity"inthecleanenergysector,particularlyinelectricvehicles,lithiumbatteries,andsolarcells.Thistacticisn'tnew.ItreflectsalongstandingpatternofpoliticizingeconomicandtradeissuestosuittheU.S.agenda:thwartingtheascentofChineserivalstopreservethelongstandingmonopolyoftheUnitedStatesanditsWesternalliesintheglobaleconomichierarchy.Theconceptofovercapacityisdeeplyrootedineconomictheory.However,Washington'srecentrhetorichasmorpheditintoyetanotherSinophobiccatchphrase,withanoversimplifiedideathatChinesegoodsproductioninthecleanenergysectorexceedsdomesticdemand,resultinginaglobalovercapacityconcern.Afundamentalfallacyofsuch"overcapacity"accusationsisthatcontrarytoan"overcapacityproblem,"thecleanenergysectorisstrugglingtomeetglobaldemandamidsturgentclimatechangeconcernsandwidespreadeffortstowardsenergytransition.Attheendof2023,theInternationalRenewableEnergyAgencyprojectedthatinordertokeeptheParistargetsalive,globalrenewablepowercapacitymustgrowbyaround1,000GWayearthrough2030.In2023,ayearwitharecordhighcapacityaddition,theworldhadanincreaseofaround507GW,halfofwhatwasneededtokeepthe1.5-degreetargetwithinreach,accordingtotheInternationalEnergyAgency'sRenewables2023report.AsChinatransitionstohigh-qualitydevelopment,its"newthree"industries--electricvehicles,lithiumbatteries,andphotovoltaicproducts--arehighlysoughtafterglobally.Theysupportcountriesinachievinggreen,low-carbontransformationandsustainabledevelopment,fosteringglobaleconomicgrowth.WhileChina'scleanenergyvehicleindustryhasmadesignificantstridesforward,theUnitedStatesperceivesheightenedcompetitionfromChinainhigh-endindustriesandvaluechains.Furthermore,theyfearthattheirtraditionaltechnologicalmonopolies,particularlyindevelopingnations,mayfaceerosionduetoChina'sprogress.Thiszero-summindsetfailstorecognizethepotentialadvantagesofcooperationandcollectiveprogress.RatherthanperceivingChina'sadvancementsasathreatandrollingoutmoreprotectionistpolicies,WashingtonanditsalliesshouldjoinChinaforconstructivedialogueandcooperationtotacklecommonchallengeslikeclimatechangeandsustainabledevelopment.Ifhistoryisanyguide,protectionismisn'tanswertotheeconomicwoesoftheUnitedStatesandtheWest.AsBloombergrecentlyargued,despiteimplementingsteelprotectionistmeasuresoverthepastdecade,WashingtonhasfailedtopreventthedeclineinemploymentwithintheU.S.metalmanufacturingindustry.Whatisworse,thesemeasureshaveincreasedcostsacrossothersectorsoftheU.S.economy,diminishingindustrycompetitiveness.Ifextendedtothenewenergyindustry,suchpolicieswouldfurtherweakenWashington'sabilitytoaddressclimatechange.GaryClydeHufbauer,aseniorresearcheratthePetersonInstituteforInternationalEconomics,hasrecentlywarnedthatwhetheritisintermsof"decoupling"or"de-risking,"itisasignofWashington'sshifttowarddeepeningprotectionism.Ultimately,itistheinterestsofAmericancompaniesandpeoplethatsuffer.Clingingtoobsoleteprotectioniststrategieshampersglobalprogressandsustainsacycleofdistrustandrivalry.Onthecontrary,embracinganinclusiveapproachthatrecognizesChina'scontributionsandaimsforshareddevelopmentandprosperityoffersthepotentialformorefruitfuloutcomesforallstakeholdersintheglobaleconomy.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.