Adam Tooze on the U.S., China, the Energy Transition — and Saying the Unsayable
Jul 4, 2024
auto_awesome
Historian Adam Tooze discusses U.S.-China relations, China's green energy drive, and global diplomacy. Topics include the Thucydides Trap, China's economic development, renewable energy politics, Russo-Chinese relations, and the role of Africa in global development. Tooze also touches on China's importance in global climate politics and recommends Lauri Myllyvirta's work on Carbon Brief.
China's focus on green energy signifies a shift towards sustainable growth and innovation.
Understanding China's intellectual currents is crucial for grasping its political and economic landscape.
Global trade complexities necessitate harmonious agreements to avoid escalations in conflicts and ensure mutual benefits.
Deep dives
China's Role in Global Affairs
China's impact on global affairs, including its politics, economics, and society, is explored in the podcast. The show delves into the importance of understanding China's intellectual currents, cultural trends, and international relations to gain insight into its political landscape and economic activities. The podcast discusses various aspects such as the Center for East Asian Studies support, the challenges and importance of working on understanding China's historical inertia, and the diverse perspectives on China presented by different commentators and writers.
Translation of Chartbook in Chinese
The podcast highlights the effort to translate Adam's newsletter, Chartbook, into Chinese, emphasizing the collaboration with a social media expert and Shanghai University to establish a platform for Chinese translations. The discussion covers the challenges of navigating Western newsletter formats in China, the launch of the Chinese version, and the plans to increase the frequency of translations. Additionally, the podcast touches on the significance of expanding Adam's reach through a Chinese audience.
Global Trade Relations
The podcast delves into the dynamics of global trade relations, focusing on the challenges surrounding overcapacity discussions in renewable energy products. It reflects on the differing perspectives on overcapacity between the United States, European Union, and other global entities. Additionally, it addresses the implications of tariff impositions by the European Union to ensure a level playing field in the exports of renewable energy products. The podcast also highlights the importance of avoiding escalation in trade conflicts and seeking harmonious trade agreements for mutual benefit.
China's Shift Towards Green Energy and Technological Development
China has shifted its focus towards green energy investments and technological advancements in areas like microelectronics. This strategic shift is a response to the need for diversification from heavy urbanization and acknowledges the potential of green energy as the driver of future growth. China's emphasis on quality development highlights a departure from previous investment paradigms towards sustainable and innovative endeavors.
Implications of China's Climate Policy and Energy Transition
China's commitment to net-zero emissions and significant investments in renewables mark a pivotal moment in climate politics. The country's rapid advancements in renewable energy installation surpass global rates, underscoring its role as a key player in global climate action. However, internal conservative pressures within China's energy agency pose challenges to sustaining this momentum, highlighting the critical nature of China's decisions in determining the future trajectory of global climate initiatives.
This week on Sinica, in a show recorded on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions, historian Adam Tooze joins to chat about what the U.S. wants from China, China's vaulting green energy ambitions, and much more. Don't miss this episode: Tooze gets pretty darn spicy!
3:13 How Adam launched Chartbook in Chinese
5:37 How Dalian and Beijing have changed since Adam’s last visit in 2019
9:01 What the West wants from China, the Thucydides Trap,
15:11 The trajectory of China’s economic development and why it’s hard for the West to reconcile with]
25:11 “Overcapacity” and the politics of renewable energy
31:00 Russo-Chinese relations and the war in Ukraine
37:12 The Global South and China since February 24th and October 7th and the importance of Africa with regards to global development
41:39 Green energy as a driver of high-quality development in China
47:49 The “Red New Deal” and the combination punch metaphor
51:57 Adam’s cognitive style (an interrelated thinker averse to analogizing), climate as a touchstone topic, and China’s importance in global climate politics
Recommendations:
Adam: The work of Lauri Myllyvirta, including his analysis on Carbon Brief
