China urges developed countries to create favorable conditions for international green cooperation

BEIJING, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- All countries need to work together to realize global energy transition goals, and developed countries, in particular, need to honor their words and create favorable conditions for international green cooperation, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"Protectionism, unilateralism and politicization will only harm the common interests of the international community," spokesperson Lin Jian said at a daily press briefing in response to comments on China's energy industry.

Recently, the International Energy Agency(IEA) released its annual World Energy Outlook 2024 and Renewables 2024, suggesting that the global energy market is entering an "age of electricity" led by China, with China driving the rise of electric mobility. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol noted that almost every energy story is essentially a China story.

However, some media, including Foreign Policy magazine, said that China's current energy transition plan is still conservative, and China could do more.

"China has always placed high importance on addressing climate change and actively promoted the green transition of energy and structural adjustment of industries," Lin said.

Over the past decade, China has generated over half of its domestic electricity consumption increase through increase in clean energy generation, accounted for over 40 percent of the world's annual additional installation of renewable energy, and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by about 3 billion tonnes, he added.

"China is one of the countries with the fastest energy intensity reduction and the top one user of renewable energy," Lin said.

He said China has established the world's largest carbon emissions trading market, carried out green energy projects cooperation with more than 100 countries and regions, built a number of landmark projects of hydropower, photovoltaic and wind power in developing countries, and stopped building new coal power projects overseas.

China's "new trio" -- electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar cells -- have developed rapidly in open competition, forming advanced green production capacity and making important contributions to the global energy transition, according to Lin.

China, in accordance with its domestic conditions and stage of development, has been advancing energy transition in a coordinative and balanced way, and working to realize a virtuous cycle in high-quality economic and social development by nurturing new quality productive forces, said the spokesperson.

Noting that global energy transition needs concerted efforts of all nations and developed countries need to create favorable conditions for international green cooperation, Lin said the story of global energy transition should not be a "China story" but a "global story" of solidarity and cooperation.

China will continue to uphold the vision of ecological civilization, deepen international green cooperation, work with other countries to promote sustainable energy development, and make greater contributions to the global response to climate change and green and low-carbon energy transition, he added.