China will deepen multilateral cooperation on green technologies, support its new energy vehicle, battery and photovoltaic enterprises in expanding globally, and accelerate the low-carbon transition of its manufacturing sector, wrote Li Lecheng, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, in a signed article in the China Daily. China will “encourage competitive Chinese enterprises in photovoltaics, wind power, lithium batteries and new energy vehicles to expand globally and to invest in and develop green energy projects in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and beyond”, Li said. President Xi Jinping announced China’s new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) in his video speech in September to the United Nations Climate Summit 2025. Xi said that China will, by 2035, expand the installed capacity of wind and solar power to over six times the 2020 levels, striving to bring the total to 3,600 gigawatts, and make new energy vehicles (NEVs) the mainstream in the sales of new vehicles. China’s new NDC targets demonstrate a pragmatic and actionable ambition for emission reductions, Minister Li added.
Highlighting that “China has built the world’s largest new energy industry chain”, Li said the country’s renewable energy products are exported to over 200 countries and regions. Such products meet more than 80% of the global demand for photovoltaic modules and 70% of the global demand for wind power equipment. Meanwhile, over half of the world’s electric vehicles run on Chinese roads, he said. “China has also collaborated with more than 100 countries and regions on green energy projects. These initiatives demonstrate the tangible impact of Chinese solutions in helping other developing nations address climate change while fostering economic growth,” Li added.
According to Li, from 2021 to 2024, China produced about 15.6 trillion kilowatts of photovoltaic modules, which has helped the world generate about 3.2 trillion kilowatt-hours of green electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 2.54 billion metric tons. China will also promote international cooperation in green infrastructure and transportation, and actively participate in shaping international green and low-carbon regulations, he said. Li outlined a systematic approach to reinforce the green development of China’s manufacturing sector, focusing on modernizing the industrial system, building green supply chains and deepening international cooperation. “China will strategically plan and deploy future-oriented energy and manufacturing industries, including hydrogen energy, energy storage, bio-manufacturing and carbon capture, utilization and storage,” he said. Minister Li Lecheng also emphasized technological innovation as the core driver for sustainable development. Nearly half of Chinese enterprises engaged in or planned green tech innovation in 2024, according to data from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).
President Xi Jinping has put forward the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”. Embracing this concept, China has undergone a fundamental shift in its economic development paradigm. As a responsible manufacturing powerhouse, China is advancing new industrialization as a key task, with green and low-carbon development as its ecological foundation. By reducing carbon emissions, curbing pollution, expanding green initiatives, and fostering economic growth, China contributes its wisdom and solutions to global sustainability.
China has established a “1+N” policy framework for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, translating these ambitious goals into actionable and measurable steps. Through tools like setting green standards, promoting green finance and building carbon trading markets, China has created a stable and predictable market environment for the green transition. In recent years, China’s economic growth has been relying less on energy consumption. From 2021 to 2024, China recorded an average annual industrial growth rate of over 5% with only around 3% annual growth in energy consumption. In 2024, China’s total installed capacity of wind and solar power exceeded 1.2 billion kilowatts, achieving the 2030 NDC installation target six years ahead of schedule.
Technological innovation is the core driver of the green transition in manufacturing. Breakthroughs have been made in making traditional industries greener. For instance, Chinese companies have built hydrogen-based metallurgy production lines with an annual production capacity of one million metric tons and green ammonia synthesis production lines with an annual capacity of 300,000 tons. Meanwhile, one-million-ton carbon capture, utilization and storage projects have been completed and put into operation. These advancements lay the groundwork for larger-scale and deeper green transitions of manufacturing, Minister Li Lecheng wrote in the China Daily.
