Great piece!
US natsec fixation is a big obstacle here: easy to get excited about strategic goods like chips/critical minerals but hard to focus on health of the larger production ecosystem.
And alarm about falling behind, instead of driving better policy, finds outlet in geopolitical aggression.
We are thrilled to issue the call for applications (global.upenn.edu/future-of-us...) for our fourth fellowship cohort, made possible by generous support from @carnegie.org and the Henry Luce Foundation.
Applications are due March 17.
This @nytopinion.nytimes.com op-ed on rare earths repeats a misleading story: that China dominates these industries mainly because of lax labor and environmental standards. It sounds intuitive, but it’s analytically wrong in ways that matter for policy. 1/
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/o...
Canada and the EU are rethinking their approaches to Chinese clean tech. Meanwhile, some US firms are still seeking it out, despite myriad barriers.
My takeaway in @thehill.com: for the US, full decoupling from China’s advanced tech is neither practical nor competitive.
thehill.com/opinion/inte...
New from us - captive coal power plant projects linked to energy intensive industrial plants keep proliferating in Indonesia, jeopardizing the country's targets for coal phase out and net zero emissions, while also messing up energy planning.
Top lines in Trivium's recent Net Zero newsletter illustrate the scale of the challenges that @jeremywallace.bsky.social astutely describes:
"State Grid targets whopping RMB 4 trn in infrastructure investment over next 5 years"
"Solar industry racks up record losses"
mailchi.mp/22a464f96dce...
Great piece. A related point I've heard recently is that, in contrary to most countries, China's domestic weakness (involution) is a strength internationally (more exports and influence) - but also makes its domestic prosperity and resilience even more dependent on overseas markets.
Interestingly, the USMCA contemplated the possibility of a member entering a free trade agreement w/ China.
If any member did (and MX was seen as a much more likely suspect than CA), then the other two could cut them out of the USMCA.
(But the current Canada-China negotiations aren't about an FTA)
A world map visualization of 68 battery factories with Chinese company involvement. The headline of the map is China's Global Battery Empire.
NEW: I tracked all Chinese lithium battery factories announced or built in the past decade 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 China's borders. The truth is, companies like CATL & BYD are so technologically advanced that there's little international competition. European and Asian countries are welcoming them with open arms.
The Board of Trustees of Asia Society announced today that the Honorable Kevin Rudd (@mrkrudd.bsky.social), Australia’s Ambassador to the United States, will return to lead the Asia Society from its global headquarters in New York on March 31, 2026.
“Alternative technologies from Japan, Europe and South Korea were assessed but deemed substantially more expensive and less competitive for large-scale deployment in India, the people said.”
Ford is doubling down on its partnership with Chinese battery giant CATL to make grid-scale batteries. Could it be the industrial policy solution the US needs to cut reliance on Chinese imports? 🎁 link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
The Paris Agreement turns 10 today, and Asia’s next decade will be decisive.🌏
See what our experts Li Shuo, @katelogan.bsky.social, @faamer.bsky.social, @taylahbland.bsky.social, Nishtha Singh & Betty Wang say about the region’s progress, remaining gaps, and priorities for the years ahead.
New from me: How can China meet its 2030 emission commitments after falling badly off track? The country will have to very substantially overachieve its clean energy targets and limit plans for runaway expansion of coal power & petrochemical expansion in the next 5-yr plan.
Can China turn its #cleanenergy dominance into green #softpower?
In a new compilation from @asiapolicy.asiasociety.org, I attempt to parse how China’s cleantech sectors plan to sustain rapid growth while navigating geopolitical pressures in 2026: asiasociety.org/policy-insti...
Indonesia backpedals on retiring Cirebon coal power plant early reut.rs/4pt2F52
China has little incentive to position itself as a climate leader and risk assuming 'climate finance' obligations
But China is still channelling large sums into climate-relevant projects around the world
@katelogan.bsky.social + Lily Hartzell explain
backchannel1.substack.com/p/chinas-del...
* Data centres are (still) not even close to the biggest source of electricity demand growth out to 2030
(but they're a big factor in the US)
“In 2024, China exported around $177 billion worth of clean technologies, and is set to exceed $200 billion in 2025.” - @katelogan.bsky.social, @asiapolicy.asiasociety.org + Center for China Analysis
On January 19, USAID was in line for bad but limited cuts. Project 2025 only called for cutting USAID back to 2019 funding levels.
Then Elon Musk came in and three weeks later USAID was functionally eliminated. Millions of people will die and hundreds of thousands already have, mostly children
The last of EESI's COP30 briefings is tomorrow at noon EST! Panelists will explore multilateral efforts to reduce trade-related GHG emissions.
Panel:
🚢 @whitehouse.senate.gov
🚢 Patrick McKenna, Climate Leadership Council
More panelists below ⬇️
Ahead of #COP30, #China’s new climate targets add momentum but still fall short of Paris goals. Emissions are leveling off, yet coal use grows even as clean energy exports cut global emissions by 1%. 🇨🇳🌏
Watch our new webinar with the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) to learn more⬇️
Bargaining with Beijing: The Politics of Chinese Investment in America an event hosted by SAIS's ACF. Monday Oct. 27.
Happening Monday.
In the era-defining US fossil fuels v China clean tech export race there's only one winner, reports @Bloomberg
www.bloomberg.com/ne...
"While the West is distracted and divided, China is focused and surging ahead."
In a new op-ed for the @nytimes.com ASPI's Director of the China Climate Hub @lishuoclimate.bsky.social breaks down Beijing's latest climate targets and what they mean. Read now⬇️
"China has aligned decarbonization with its economic growth strategy. In practice that means systematically building infrastructure, sophisticated supply chains and a predictable domestic market for clean energy."
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/o...
'Beijing disappoints on ambition and misses a chance at leadership' - team at @AsiaSociety rates China's 2035 #climate target as 'careful balancing of ... domestic and international factors'
asiasociety.org/poli...
If you want to understand the new #climate target of #China more deeply read this piece by @katelogan.bsky.social and @lishuoclimate.bsky.social unpacking #Chinas new #climate target - aka #NDC
asiasociety.org/policy-insti...
Left: The share of fossil fuels and low-carbon sources in the total installed electricity generating capacity of each of the BRICS countries, as of 2024, compared to the global average. Right: The year by which BRICS countries have pledged to reach net-zero. Source: Global Energy Monitor, Climate Action Tracker.
NEW – Q&A: Will China and the BRICS fill the ‘leadership gap’ on climate change? | @anikanpatel.carbonbrief.org w/ comment from @yixiansun.bsky.social Jennifer Allan @jamesnorman.bsky.social Beatriz Mattos @katelogan.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/WVyH1Y0
BBC interview with one of the Korea workers who was shackled and imprisoned. This was nothing but an American own goal. Attempting to blow up the largest economic development project in Georgia history. Billions in investment, thousands of jobs for Americans. youtu.be/fcwJtWU4fn4?...
