Environment
Economy
‘China is beautiful’: What Trump saw — and what Beijing is building
In the wake of Trump’s recent visit to China, his comment on China’s beauty prompts a look at the Beautiful China initiative, referring to its efforts aimed at preserving and improving China’s ecological assets. EAI deputy director Chen Gang explores the issue.
Chen Gang
22 May 2026
Economy
Transition under constraint: China’s energy strategy in an era of geopolitical risk
China reaffirmed that it would increase the share of non-fossil fuels in its energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions per unit of GDP under its 15th Five-Year Plan. Achieving this would require a carefully managed transition. Australian researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May assesses how China is striking a delicate balance between decarbonisation, economic growth and energy security.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
07 Apr 2026
Economy
China’s investment surge is forcing Southeast Asia to rethink industrial policy
Looking at Chinese investment in Southeast Asia, Soon Cheong Poon and Guanie Lim find that the impact of investment depends on how it is governed. Southeast Asian governments can and have pushed back against negative spillovers. But it remains to be seen if they can band together regionally to handle the next waves of investment.
Soon Cheong Poon, Guanie Lim
24 Feb 2026
Economy
Trump is mistaken: China is a wind power giant
Contrary to US President Trump’s Davos comments on Chinese wind farms, China’s wind power is a central pillar of its energy transition, with wind farms dotted around the country’s northern and northwestern regions, and in recent times, along its southeastern coastlines too. But these efforts are not without its challenges, such as an entrenched top-down approach and the difficulty of turning wind capacity into efficiently used, reliably transmitted clean power. EAI deputy director Chen Gang shares his insights.
Chen Gang
12 Feb 2026
Economy
How gutter oil became a prized fuel for international airlines
Once scorned as a public health hazard, China’s notorious “gutter oil” or used cooking oil (UCO) has been recast as one of the world’s most sought‑after feedstocks for sustainable aviation fuel — fetching prices higher than conventional jet fuel as airlines rush to cut carbon and meet global mandates.
Caixin Global
06 Feb 2026
Society
Frozen for blue skies: Villagers endure winter without coal
China’s mandate to shift from coal to natural gas heating in Hebei has led to a dilemma where many rural villagers are unable to afford heating through the cold winter season. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yush Chau finds out what the authorities could do to mitigate the people’s hardships.
Yush Chau
21 Jan 2026
Economy
China has too many incinerators. Southeast Asia has the trash
China built a vast waste-to-energy industry — then ran short of trash. As incinerators sit idle at home, Chinese firms are heading to Southeast Asia, pitching modern plants as a fix for looming landfill crises. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting reports.
Lim Zhan Ting
15 Jan 2026
Economy
How ‘China Inc.’ is discovering its new world in Brazil
Chinese companies are turning Brazil into their new frontier, from electric vehicles and digital platforms to mining and energy, and navigating local challenges as they chart a daring new chapter in global expansion.
Caixin Global
05 Jan 2026
Economy
From lender to partner: China’s BRI 2.0 is harder for the West to contain
China’s Belt and Road has evolved. No longer just a lender, Beijing now co-builds green and digital industrial ecosystems with host countries and private firms, creating influence that is subtler, more durable, and harder for the West to challenge. US academic John Calabrese highlights examples from the Middle East & North Africa region, including Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt.
John Calabrese
16 Dec 2025
Politics
When Chinese mining meets weak governance in Africa — who pays?
The Lubumbashi dam collapse exposes the human and environmental toll of Chinese mining in Africa. Weak oversight leaves communities and forests at risk — a warning spotlighted at COP30. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May unpacks the stakes.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
08 Dec 2025
