The Philippine coastguard called on its country’s fishing fleets to keep operating around the Scarborough Shoal (known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and Huangyan Dao in China) despite the large Chinese presence in the disputed South China Sea area.
Coastguard spokesperson Jay Tarriela said while Philippine government vessels can’t maintain a constant presence, they are committed to protecting the country’s fishing rights in what it sees as its Exclusive Economic Zone.
Category: Energy
Climate Graph of the Day: After a Rapid Increase, China’s Oil Demand May Have Peaked
After decades of ever-growing oil use, China's oil demand may have peaked this year, according to Chinese oil executives cited by FT. This has significant implications for countries from Angola to Russia to Brazil, which depend on selling oil to China.
A Closer Look At South Africa’s Electricity Deals With China
Details are emerging about expansive new cooperation agreements between South Africa and China on electricity. They were signed during last week’s BRICS summit in Johannesburg, and they were somewhat overshadowed by the focus on the bloc’s enlargement. But for South Africa, these deals ...
Saudi Arabia Eying China to Build Nuclear Power Program as Part of an Effort to Pressure U.S.
The U.S. wants Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel, Saudi Arabia wants to build a civilian nuclear power program but the U.S. doesn't want Riyadh to enrich its own uranium for fear it could be used to build weapons -- so Saudi Arabia turns to China ...
China and the Politics of Global Climate Diplomacy
The failure of G20 countries last month to agree on a plan to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 highlights a key problem in the ongoing debate over how to respond to climate change: the institutions that are designed to help ...
Chinese Company Expands Footprint in South Africa’s Energy Sector With New Solar Project
One of China’s biggest companies, the Fortune 500-listed PowerChina, is establishing itself among energy sector players seeking to offer solutions to the crippling blackouts predicted to last until 2027 in South Africa. The country is seeking to transition to ...
China Importing Record Volumes of Sanctioned Iranian Oil
China is importing a record amount of Iranian crude, easily circumventing U.S. sanctions expressly designed to restrict such trade, according to new findings by the data intelligence firm Kpler. Iranian oil sales to China have jumped this year from an average ...
Massive Russian Energy Buys Are Transforming China’s Global Trade
Russia is now China's largest single supplier of energy commodities in a shift that is also transforming Beijing's trade engagement in countries throughout the Global South. Whereas fifteen years ago, China sourced a third of its imported crude oil from African ...
Reminder: China Will Be Central to Clean Tech Supply Chains for a Long Time
Financial Times published a fascinating rundown of China’s ongoing centrality in the mining and refining of critical minerals. These minerals, which include lithium, cobalt and nickel, are key to many clean energy applications, from e-vehicle batteries to wind turbines. China’s investments in ...
China Funded Many Coal Plants Around the World. Retiring Them Early Could Be a Bargain
China has funded about 39 GW of coal electricity around the world, particularly in South and Southeast Asia. If these plants continue operating until the end of their lifespans, they will breach 2040 carbon targets set by the International Energy Agency. ...
How China’s Overseas Coal Plants in South and Southeast Asia Can be Retired Early
By Alex Clark Chinese public financial institutions have financed almost 40 gigawatts of coal-fired power generation capacity outside China in the last decade. These coal plants, located predominantly in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Pakistan, as shown below, and with an average ...