China Claims Its Green, US Leaves The Scene

2025-09-28 08:09:34

(MENAFN- Asia Times) While US President Donald Trump denounces climate action as a“con job” at the UN and China commits to modest emission cuts by 2035 , the real story is neither about moral leadership nor environmental salvation-it is about industrial strategy dressed as climate diplomacy.

Beijing has calculated that the optics of being the“responsible power” while Washington retreats from global commitments provides cover for what amounts to a conservative target that preserves economic flexibility.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7-10% from peak levels by 2035 represents China's first absolute emissions target, but analysts note this falls well short of the 30% reduction experts say would align with 1.5°C pathways.

The timing was strategic: Xi's commitment was announced one day after Trump called climate efforts a“green scam”, maximizing the contrast with the US while minimizing actual obligation.

The president of the world's largest emitter positioned himself as championing“the trend of our time” while the world's largest historical emitter abandoned the field entirely.

Manufacturing supremacy

China's real climate strategy is visible not in its emission targets but in its industrial policy: dominating the supply chains that will define the post-carbon global economy.

The country added 46 gigawatts of wind capacity in just the first five months of 2025-enough to power 30 million homes-while simultaneously approving 25 gigawatts of new coal plants.

This apparent contradiction reveals the underlying logic: China is building the manufacturing base for global decarbonization while maintaining energy security through domestic coal.

Xi's promise to scale wind and solar capacity sixfold from 2020 levels positions China as the indispensable supplier of clean energy hardware. China already produces over 80% of global solar photovoltaic modules and dominates key component supply chains.

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