The EU’s latest moves in the green technology sector may inadvertently strain China-EU relations, potentially impeding progress toward mutual environmental objectives and causing detriment to both parties.

The global electric vehicle industry, dominated by China's rapid growth, has intensified competition, prompting the EU to investigate Chinese EVs and risking strained Sino-EU trade ties. The EU must balance climate aspirations and domestic interests while bolstering its EV industry for a sustainable and competitive future.

A recent IAEA report says that Japan’s plan to dump radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean meets safety standards. Not everyone is so glib. In navigating the controversy, China can play a positive role.

The advent of plastic mulch has electrified agricultural output globally, with China leading the way in its application. Sadly, plastic fragments are now heavily polluting China’s agricultural soils. New regulations within the 14th five-year plan set out to greatly restrict the use of the ultra-thin plastic and protect China’s soil.

In 2019, U.S. Customs seized 3400 pounds of invasive Chinese mitten crabs at the Cincinnati, Ohio airport. The mitten crab threatens commercial fishing and biodiversity and is listed on the top 100 worst invader list. China is hosting the 15th meeting of the Convention on Biodiversity and is in a position to show leadership in protecting aquatic environments.

Cooperation on this important issue will pave the way for joint efforts to overcome other global challenges. The wholehearted cooperation of China and the United States is essential for the success of any effort to solve global challenges. It is time for concerted action, not squabbling.

Last week, the world marked the 51st Earth Day. This year’s theme – “Restore Our Earth” – was apt. As the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us, the effects of human activity on the planet do not respect borders. The Earth is a single living, self-regulating system, and it demands a single, shared system of accounting that balances at the global level. We need a one-Earth balance sheet.

Xi was the first national leader to speak after Biden, emphasizing the need to advance global environmental governance.

As the United States prepares for a radical course-correction on climate change, China is raising its game. Climate action has become yet another front in the competition between the world’s two largest economies. Who will cross the net-zero-emissions finish line first?

Millions of people around the world are facing significant adversity. Governments must provide adequate financial and social protection, so that the poor and marginalized do not feel they must choose between protecting their health and providing for their families. And they must address the deeper social inequalities that the pandemic has exacerbated.