Many developing countries see partnerships with China as the route to their future success, especially in an era in which the United States has turned inward and is apparently a less generous and reliable partner.
Meanwhile, extractive projects like mining, oil and gas fields, dams, waterways, and paper and pulp mills have caused conflicts with local communities and indigenous groups throughout the developing world.
As President Xi’s administration promises to go “green” in overseas investments, it is essential that the Chinese state export its domestic low-carbon technologies and policies.
If we agree that there are limits to economic growth and to the earth’s resources, then this intensified globalization is deeply problematic.
Assuming that economic globalization is an engine that cannot be stopped, we must ask whether China has an obligation to hold partners on the Belt and Road to a higher standard.
With China’s advanced technological experience in wind and solar power, China is well placed to help less developed countries to “green” their energy supplies and offer the win-win solutions that government propaganda promotes.
To do so, Chinese overseas investment and lending projects must embrace an economic, social, and environmental model that more deeply embodies the ideals of China’s commitment to ecological civilization.
Moreover, the chances of impactful climate action are greater if both countries actively cooperate through information-sharing, investment in green technology, the promotion of green trade, and collaboration on cleaning up “dirty” industries like cement, steel, and coal domestically and overseas.
The tendency to demonize the “other” that currently characterizes U.S.-China relations is deeply unfortunate and obscures the fact that despite intractable conflicts on a host of issues, our shared interest in reducing carbon is profound.
Nevertheless, China still feels enormous pressure to meet many of its energy needs through coal as its supplies are plentiful and other energy sources insufficient to meet demand.
She was one of the first Americans to teach in China after US-China relations were normalized in 1979 and has been involved with China ever since.