[Busan = E-Daily Reporter LEE BAE-WOON ] It is said that people have a psychological tendency to underestimate things or people they dislike. They deliberately ignore the positives and exaggerate the negatives to the extreme, reaching the conclusion that “it’s no big deal” and thereby finding peace of mind.

There are countless examples of people who, trapped by this mindset, have committed major blunders. This was the case with Joseon, which underestimated Toyotomi Hideyoshi; with Nokia, which dismissed the iPhone; and with Hillary Clinton, who scoffed at Trump.

From this perspective, public opinion that looks down on Chinese cars is not entirely incomprehensible. It is likely the result of a combination of diplomatic tensions between South Korea and China, the anti-China sentiment that has developed as a result, and the long-standing stigma of China being the “land of knockoffs” and the “cheap goods superpower.”

But times have changed. Last March, at the “Beijing International Auto Show”—where the global automotive industry gathered in full force—BYD put the world on edge by showcasing the performance of its electric vehicles, which remained undeterred even inside a massive freezer, and by unveiling a host of new models as sophisticated as any European car.

Subsequently, at the “Busan Mobility Show” held on the 26th, BYD stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Hyundai Motor Group and BMW to announce ambitious plans for new model launches. These are neither knockoffs nor cheap products.

We thought China only made electric vehicles, but now it says it intends to enter the internal combustion engine hybrid market as well. This is shocking and terrifying news for traditional automakers who, complacent in their past heritage, have fallen behind in the transition to eco-friendly vehicles.

China’s offensive is not a threat on the horizon but a reality already unfolding. It is significant that, while BYD was holding its presentation at this motor show, news simultaneously emerged that its cumulative domestic sales from January to May this year had already surpassed last year’s total sales and that it had secured the fourth spot in imported car sales.

It is time to set aside preconceptions and face the reality of Chinese automakers’ capabilities head-on. It is time for not only the government but the entire nation to put their heads together to devise sustainable development and support measures for our automotive industry, such as tax incentives to promote domestic production of electric vehicles. We must do this to avoid repeating the mistakes of the shipbuilding industry, Nokia, and Hillary.