Byford Tsang
@byfordt.bsky.social
EU-China relations, China's climate and energy policies, climate diplomacy. Think tanker at @ecfr.bsky.social
Cold comfort: Europe is learning to adapt to a hotter climate. It should take the same approach to economic dependencies. @byfordt.bsky.social discusses what China can teach Europe about adaptation. 📖 Read here the full paper⤵️ buff.ly/mxMVYfJ @ecfr.eu
Can Europe's green transition survive an era of political turbulence? 👇 Join us in Brussels on June 8 to discuss. Full event details here: ecfr.eu/event/the-ar...
NPP Brussels Event | The Art of the Deal: European Green Policy in Trumpian Times
Website page for NPP event in Brussels on 8 June.
ecfr.eu
Wonder what the Italians have to say about Tiramisu being served at a Chinese state banquet (for Trump)
[Weekend Special] What They Put on the Table
A state banquet menu is never just food. But sometimes the food is the most honest thing in the room.
everymealcounts.substack.com
China’s trains may be fast—but hangdog democrats are wrong to think that autocracies have cracked the code of economic dynamism: econ.st/4awQGwX Illustration: Chloe Cushman
Hong Kong court jails pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai for 20 years
Hong Kong court jails pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai for 20 years
Lai was sentenced for offences under the city's controversial national security law.
bbc.com
😬 ‘Rush’ for new coal in China hits record high in 2025 as climate deadline looms www.carbonbrief.org/rush-for-new...
China has lifted sanctions from six serving British MPs and peers, PM Starmer says – The Guardian: ‘China’s sanctions were a retaliation against the UK imposing sanctions on Chinese officials held responsible for atrocities in Xinjiang. It is understood that those will not be lifted in return.’
China has lifted sanctions from six serving British MPs and peers, Starmer says
Starmer confirms immediate removal, but it is unclear if sanctions remain on former MP, academic and barrister
theguardian.com
Europe needs green tech. Europe needs to be resilient against Chinese coercion. Two imperatives, two camps. How to reconcile them? @byfordt.bsky.social just published the definitive study for @ecfr.eu. Read it ⬇️ ecfr.eu/publication/...
Don’t look down: How Europeans can escape China’s clean-tech gravity – European Council on Foreign Relations
China’s manufacturing surge and trade tactics are dampening Europe’s clean-tech goals. Europeans need to forge coalitions across wary member states to secure th
ecfr.eu
Protecting profit margins today cannot come at the cost of Europe’s industrial strength tomorrow, write @byfordt.bsky.social and Rosa Melissa Gehrung @ecfrasia.bsky.social https://bit.ly/4nAx1kj
Green competitiveness: Why Europe should rethink targets to outpace China
European carmakers are falling behind Chinese makers of electric vehicles. Yet watered-down climate targets will not help European cars compete with China; a different approach is needed…
bit.ly
Next up at Atlantic Council - EU competition boss Teresa Ribera asked about China, which she says is "providing solutions that could help the whole humankind" in the green energy space. She says the US "seems to be backtracking" on the green front, which "is not helpful"
China's new climate target is inadequate. But as the EU mulls over their own climate goals, it'd be a mistake to view China’s low target as a sign Beijing is de-prioritising climate and clean tech.
ECFR@ecfr.eu · 12mo agoEuropeans should understand that China views climate policy not as ideology—but as a lever of industrial power, writes @byfordt.bsky.social @ecfrasia.bsky.social https://bit.ly/42z4ofJ
Europeans should understand that China views climate policy not as ideology—but as a lever of industrial power, writes @byfordt.bsky.social @ecfrasia.bsky.social https://bit.ly/42z4ofJ
Not so fast: What China’s new climate target means for Europe and the planet
Europeans should understand that China views climate policy not as ideology—but as a lever of industrial power…
ecfr.eu
Context on China's new 2035 6x solar and wind capacity target - slower than business as usual trend
Byford Tsang@byfordt.bsky.social · 12mo agoGenerated a quick chart to illustrate your point: - Following the 2020-2024 trend = 7x of 2020 capacity by 2035 - Following the 2023-2024 trend = 10x of 2020 capacity by 2035
A symbolic first? EVs are now in China’s new official climate target to the UN. But the target is recycled, watered down and depending on how it’s defined, China will to reach it by end of the year.
Xi Jinping announced China's new climate targets personally, a positive gesture, but the targets brought little clarity on China’s future emission pathway. Targeting a 7-10% emission reduction by 2035 from an undefined "peak level" undersells China's current clean energy boom.
China's former veteran climate envoy Xie Zhenhua is in Brussels today to meet Teresa Ribera "to resuscitate flailing international climate negotiations ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil"
China's former climate envoy to meet with EU to revive flailing UN pact, sources say
China's former veteran climate envoy, who previously secured two pivotal climate agreements with the United States, will meet with the EU's top green transition official on Tuesday to resuscitate flailing international climate negotiations ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil, three sources told Reuters.
reuters.com
Adding to the woes of European wind turbine manufacturers: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Octopus Energy Opens Door to Bring Chinese Wind Turbines to UK
Octopus Energy, the UK’s biggest supplier of power and gas, struck a deal that may bring Chinese wind turbines to Britain for the first time.
bloomberg.com
1/ Too often, news media depict unprecedented heatwaves with “fun in the sun” images of cheery beachgoers or children playing in fountains. But the reality is more long-term, and a lot less trivial: struggling workers, sweating pedestrians, and ecological damage. In full: buff.ly/DuC51F1
Die deutsche Firma Luxcara hat sich gegen Windturbinen aus China entschieden und möchte nun Anlagen von Siemens Energy nutzen. Das zeigt: Europa kann seine Windindustrie noch retten – aber nur, wenn die Politik entschlossen fairen Wettbewerb sichert, zeigt unsere aktuelle Studie.
As the UK launches an EV grant favouring European production with lower carbon footprint, Chinese brand Leapmotor mirrored the subsidy with its own cuts, making its model currently the UK’s cheapest. www.ft.com/content/63dd...
China’s Leapmotor sells cheapest EV in UK after mirroring government grant
New discount programme intended to exclude Chinese manufacturers
ft.com
🇨🇳 📰 NEW | Analysis: Record solar growth keeps China’s CO2 falling in H1 2025 🌿 ☀️ CO2 output of the nation’s power sector fell by 3% in H1 2025 as growth in solar power alone matched the rise in electricity demand @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social w/ @carbonbrief.org www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-rec...
China has extended its anti-dumping probe into EU dairy products until Feb 2026, keeping leverage in the EV tariff fight. Duties already hit brandy, with a pork probe due by Dec. www.reuters.com/world/china/...
China extends probe into EU dairy products as trade tussle goes on
China extended on Monday its anti-subsidy investigation into European Union dairy imports by six months, one front in a wider trade war with Brussels and Washington.
reuters.com
China leads the world in high-quality patent filings for batteries and solar, while Europe retains the lead in wind and smart grids. China applied for more than 2x as many high-quality clean energy patents as the US. @nytimes analysis of @EPOorg data www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Chinese wind tech breakthrough: Envision says its 2-blade turbine now matches 3-blade output - cheaper, faster to install, easier to transport, lighter towers/cranes, quicker assembly, better in storms, simpler maintenance. www.energylivenews.com/2025/08/11/c...
Germany’s failed offshore wind auction highlights the cost and risk pressures on developers. Minister now calling for change in auction system. In my briefing with @lukepatey.bsky.social, we looked at the issue of negative bidding & its impact on competitive landscape. 🔗 ecfr.eu/publication/...
Germany receives no bids in zero-subsidy offshore wind auction
Analysts say that Germany needs to revamp its auction design and include a ‘contract for differences’ mechanism.
offshore-mag.com
Brazil will bring forward a tariff hike on pre-assembled EV kits to 35% by Jan 2027 (from 14%), to boost localisation and deter assembly-only plants like BYD’s, opened last month and also facing a labour lawsuit over alleged human trafficking. www.electrive.com/2025/08/01/b...
Brazil accelerates tariff hike on disassembled EV imports - electrive.com
Brazil’s foreign trade committee, Gecex-Camex, has announced an earlier-than-planned increase to import duties on disassembled electric and hybrid vehicles,
electrive.com
Ford is delaying its electric pickup truck and van to 2028 to focus on affordable, small EVs - responding to pressure from Chinese automakers driving down costs and offering a wide range of low-priced models. www.reuters.com/business/aut...
Ford delays electric pickup, van to 2028 as it chases smaller, affordable options
Ford Motor is delaying the launch of two next-generation electric vehicles as it shifts its focus to smaller and more affordable models, the company said on Thursday.
reuters.com
As China tightens its export control regime on permanent magnets, Germany sets out a roadmap to cut reliance on Chinese magnets for the wind industry: 15% ‘resilient’ magnets by 2029, 30% by 2030, 50% by 2035.
Germany's Daimler Truck’s chief executive has said the group will not rule out an exit from manufacturing in China as the world’s largest truck producer grapples with a “crazy” global down cycle, compounded by US tariffs and weak demand in Europe. www.ft.com/content/4697...
Daimler Truck mulls China production exit as it faces ‘crazy’ down cycle
Diesel vehicle sales hit by shift to LNG while US tariffs and weak demand in Europe add to German group’s woes
ft.com
