China’s role in accelerating the global energy transition through green supply chains and trade

As the world’s largest trading nation, China holds a dominant position in global green manufacturing, particularly through the development of the so-called ‘new three’ clean energy technologies – that is, electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and solar panels. There are tremendous opportunities for emerging markets and developing countries to improve their integration into global supply chains for clean energy technologies by leveraging intra-regional trade that boosts their manufacturing competitiveness and exports of higher-value-added products. This policy insight seeks to evaluate China’s role in supply chains for renewable energy technologies, and how the country can support the energy transition in other countries, particularly those in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).