Yunis Sharifli is an independent foreign affairs analyst who specializes in analyzing Chinese foreign policy in the context of Beijing’s relations with Russia and Central Asia.
While Beijing returned to coal to mitigate short term tight supplies and fluctuating energy prices, the conflict in Europe drove China toward a long-term commitment to self-sustaining renewables.
China has a significant comparative advantage in green energy. Growing incentives for Central Asian countries to diversify their energy mix are creating opportunities for Chinese companies, with significant implications for Russia, as well as the U.S. and EU.