China Briefing 18 April: Clean-tech ‘overcapacity’; New coal construction; Interview with China Photovoltaic Industry Association  – Carbon Brief

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China pushes back on US and EU ‘overcapacity’ complaints

‘FAIR’ COMPETITION: German chancellor Olaf Scholz and US treasury secretary Janet Yellen have visited China in the past fortnight, amid concerns regarding China’s dominance in clean-technology supply chains. Scholz commented in Shanghai that “competition must be fair” and, “in other words, that there is no dumping, that there is no overproduction, that copyrights are not infringed”, Reuters reported. Similarly, in response to a question on whether the US would place tariffs on Chinese exports, Yellen told CNBC that she “wouldn’t rule out anything at this point. We need to keep everything on the table.” Mary Lovely, senior fellow at the US-based Peterson Institute thinktank, told the Financial Times that Yellen’s visit to China seemed “like the best indicator yet that new tariffs on China will be coming, no matter who wins” the upcoming US presidential election.

WIND INVESTIGATION: Chinese premier Li Qiang told Yellen that China’s clean-technology industries “make an important contribution” to the global energy transition, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said. Commerce minister Wang Wentao echoed this during a visit to Europe, saying that he does not understand “how the European Commission carries the banner of sustainable and green development and then takes protectionist actions”, Reuters reported. This comes as the EU opened another subsidy investigation into Chinese wind turbine companies, which will focus on windfarms in Spain, Greece, France, Romania and Bulgaria, the Financial Times said. An analysis by Reuters noted that “the supply of Chinese wind turbines for EU projects is relatively small and the European market is still dominated by domestic players”.

REACTION FROM CHINA: State news agency Xinhua reports that foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press conference that “the notion that China’s overcapacity harms the global market is a complete fallacy”, adding “China’s leading edge in new energy is gained through strong performance and full-on market competition, not government subsidies” and “we hope relevant countries will keep an open mind, embrace fair competition”. State-run newspaper Global Times published an opinion piece by Huo Jianguo, vice chairman of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies, saying the “rhetoric lacks logic, aimed at stymieing China’s development”. The state-run China Daily quoted Zhang Xiang, researcher

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs Addressed in the Article:

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Specific Targets and Indicators:

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
• Indicator: The article mentions China’s clean-technology industries making an important contribution to the global energy transition.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.
• Indicator: The article discusses China’s push for a “green financial” system to promote green and low-carbon developments.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
• Indicator: The article mentions China’s efforts to establish a financial support system for green and low-carbon developments.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.14: Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development.
• Indicator: The article highlights the visits of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to China, indicating international cooperation and dialogue on fair competition and trade issues.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: carbonbrief.org

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