Insights | China is on right path of green transformation: Foreign experts

By Huang Fang

(ECNS) -- The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China convened its third plenary session in Beijing from July 15 to 18. Several international dignitaries and experts had interviews with China News Network, regarding topics such as Chinese modernization, China's green development, and Sino-European industrial cooperation. They believe that China is leading the green industry on the right path, and looking forward to deeper Sino-European cooperation.

“China is going the right way”

“I do believe that China is going the right way,” said Thierry Laurent, Chairman of the Climate Change Working Group, French Foreign Trade Advisors China Committee. He noted that China's achievements in the green industry benefit the world, contributing to the global green transition.

"I think the top leaders in China are extremely aware of what is going on," said Patrick Nijs, former Belgian Ambassador to China and co-founder of the EU-China Joint Innovation Center.

"Regarding the development of green energy and so on, China has become a leader," he said.

He pointed out that despite many challenges, China is moving towards the set goals in green industry development.

"So the pledge they took to reach peak carbon in 2030 and carbon neutrality in 2060 is a full Chinese decision," When it comes to carbon emission peak, Nijs believed China will be leading in this area.

"New quality productive forces promote China's economic transformation"

In 2023, the exports of China's "new trio", new energy vehicles (NEVs), lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products surpassed 1.06 trillion yuan (146.5 billion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 29.9%.

"I think, to keep China's economic development needs to focus more on quality rather than quantity," Laurent shared his understanding of new quality productive forces.

"It will improve the image of China around the world," he said.

Nijs also observed that China is implementing the strategy on developing a quality workforce. "China has the best brains in the world in many ways," he said.

"There will be more involvement of Chinese business in Europe"

China's exports of NEVs soared by 77.6 percent, reaching 1.203 million units, 38% of which went to Europe, far surpassing other regions, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

"I do think that these (Chinese) companies have a technological edge over most of their European competitors," Laurent expressed his hope that Chinese companies invest in Europe will advance Sino-European industrial cooperation.

The European Commission's statement on July 4 announced that it will impose provisional countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China starting from July 5.

“The basic issue in my view is how can Europe and China use this opportunity of this ecological challenge to reset the relationship and resume cooperation," Nijs believed, "There is urgency."