A historic heatwave across Europe has driven a surge in demand for Chinese air‑conditioning units, while record temperatures and widespread health impacts have been reported in several countries. Air conditioning remains a rare technology in Europe, with about 20 % of households having cooling systems, 5 % in Britain and below 3 % in Germany, and heatwaves are driving increased demand for Chinese units.

Paris experienced a record‑breaking heat of 112 °F under the sun (Bluesky) and France24 reported that tens of millions of people suffered and thousands died during the event. The heatwave also produced France's hottest June day on record (En.people.cn), while southern Spain reached 46 °C (En.people.cn). Red alerts for high temperatures were issued in Austria, Slovenia and Bosnia (En.people.cn), and Germany, Italy and Portugal experienced scorching summer conditions (En.people.cn).

Brussels is seeking to narrow its record trade deficit with China through new restrictions (SCMP). Observers said the situation exposed a contradiction between public demand and political rhetoric, with the EU shifting blame for the trade deficit instead of addressing structural shortcomings (SCMP). Paris blamed the United States' heavy air‑conditioning use for contributing to Europe's heatwave deaths (Times of India). The Guardian noted that the climate crisis and worsening disparity could be responsible for more than 100,000 deaths a year in Europe.

Structural and economic barriers such as a high proportion of rental housing and steep electricity costs limit air‑conditioning adoption in Europe (En.people.cn). An American writer living in Paris said he had not bought a fan and relied on closed shutters, misting sessions and open windows to keep his flat cool (Guardian).