Despite signs of thawing in the relationship between China and the United States, a new chapter has opened in their trade dispute, this time relating to electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, solar panels and other green energy products. It is unlikely to have a happy ending, unless the conversation changes.

On her visit to China last week, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen – who received a warm welcome – raised the issue in a concerned but not confrontational way that China’s “overproduction” of these goods will hurt producers and jobs in the US and many other countries.