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Byford Tsang

@byfordt.bsky.social

820 followers 160 following 44 posts

EU-China relations, China's climate and energy policies, climate diplomacy. Think tanker at @ecfr.bsky.social

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Reposted by Byford Tsang

Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 11d

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"

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 15d

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 · 16d

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…

Reposted by Byford Tsang

ECFR @ecfr.eu · 16d

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…

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 17d

Context on China's new 2035 6x solar and wind capacity target - slower than business as usual trend

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 17d

Generated 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

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 17d

@jankaoertel.bsky.social @ecfrasia.bsky.social

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 17d

It’s likely China will overshoot the goal if we are talking about half of the new sales. From Jan–Aug 2025, NEVs took 45.5% of new car sales and is on track to reach 50% by end of the year

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 17d

While “mainstream” is rather vague, state media have explained that it means more than half of new car sales. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers projects NEVs could hit 60–80% of sales by 2035

auto.cctv.com/2024/08/15/A...

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 17d

So Beijing gave more “flexibility” to meet the goal. But it wasn’t entirely “tech-neutral”, new energy vehicles in Chinese policy context refers to three technologies:
⚪️ Battery EVs
⚪️ Plug-in hybrids
⚪️Fuel-cell vehicles

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 17d

The 2020 plan said: “pure battery EVs to become the mainstream of new car sales by 2035.” In 2024, it was watered down to “new energy vehicles” in another State Council document

www.gov.cn/zhengce/2024...

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 17d

The ‘new’ goal: new energy vehicle to become the mainstream of new car sales by 2035

It first appeared 5 years ago in the New Energy Vehicle Industry Plan (2021–2035) - a State Council document from November 2020.

www.gov.cn/zhengce/cont...

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 17d

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.

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 17d

Generated 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

Reposted by Byford Tsang

Lauri Myllyvirta @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social · 17d

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.

Reposted by Byford Tsang

Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 26d

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.

www.reuters.com

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · Sep 11

My brief with @LukePatey on the headwinds European wind OEMs are facing ecfr.eu/publication/...

Last gasp: Securing Europe’s wind industry from dependence on China

Europe’s pioneering wind turbine manufacturers are grappling with Chinese competition at home and abroad—but it is not too late to save them…

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · Sep 11

CEO of the Octopus Energy Generation unit “If the lowest costs of energy and wind-turbine components are coming from China, it’s going to be very difficult to create a vision for net zero without understanding and learning some of the lessons that are coming from that geography.”

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · Sep 11

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.

www.bloomberg.com

Reposted by Byford Tsang

Hong Kong Free Press HKFP @hongkongfp.com · Sep 2

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

Reposted by Byford Tsang

ECFR Berlin @ecfrberlin.bsky.social · Aug 26

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.

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · Aug 22

The grant (up to £3,750) has a scoring system weighted 70% to battery cell origin and 30% to assembly, giving European production an edge over Chinese and Korean EVs.
www.electriccarscheme.com/blog/chinese...

Chinese EVs Not Eligible for UK Electric Car Grant | BYD, Omoda | The Electric Car Scheme

Chinese electric cars won't qualify for the UK's £3,750 Electric Car Grant. Discover how BYD, Omoda & Jaecoo are offering alternative discounts.

www.electriccarscheme.com

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · Aug 22

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

Reposted by Byford Tsang

Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air @creacleanair.bsky.social · Aug 21

🇨🇳 📰 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...

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · Aug 20

「多半不會有用，多半不會成功，知識只是照見某個角落的靈光。」

梁文道播客在中国平台全面下架多个社媒账号被封

（新加坡讯）香港文化人梁文道的播客《八分半》，疑因触及敏感议题停更一个月后，被中国大陆音频平台全面下架，多个官方社媒账号也被封禁。

www.zaobao.com.sg

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · Aug 20

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.

www.reuters.com

Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · Aug 15

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/...