https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/513037/feed China must ensure an adequate supply of energy, including coal, gas and crude oil, to support its 1.4 billion people. According to the 14th five-year plan for 2021-25, China must supply more of its own energy needs by 2025, while advocating for larger domestic oil and gas production and clean energy cooperation with other countries, including the United States. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China and Europe should jointly introduce a system like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a levy on carbon-intensive imports designed to account for the carbon costs domestic producers face, which “applies against the rest of the world,” the co-chair of a global energy transition organisation says. “The biggest single thing which I would love China to do is to say, ‘We want to join with Europe in a climate club’,” said Adair Turner, co-chair of the Energy Transitions Commission,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371917/china-europe-should-coordinate-carbon-pricing-border-tax-energy-transition-expert https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371917/china-europe-should-coordinate-carbon-pricing-border-tax-energy-transition-expert Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:30:15 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Chinese crude oil imports from the Gulf region are rebounding amid months of disruption from the US-Israel war on Iran and a sharp decline in domestic inventories. Shipments from the Middle East rose 25.7 per cent month on month to 13.8 million tonnes in September, marking a third consecutive monthly increase, according to Chinese customs data. Xu Muyu, a senior crude oil analyst at data intelligence firm Kpler, said demand for Middle Eastern crude was likely to remain strong amid record... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371778/chinas-gulf-oil-imports-forecast-approach-pre-iran-war-high-shipments-rebound https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371778/chinas-gulf-oil-imports-forecast-approach-pre-iran-war-high-shipments-rebound Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Shouqing Zhu Shouqing Zhu The war in the Middle East has disrupted oil and gas supplies, leaving governments to confront energy pressures as they prepare for next month’s Cop31 UN climate conference in Antalya, Turkey. The crisis raises an enduring question: how can climate action strengthen the resilience of an economy? China offers a useful case. Its factories supply technologically advanced products essential to the green transition at competitive prices. China has production cost advantages in electric cars,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371034/how-china-made-climate-resilience-part-its-economic-growth-strategy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371034/how-china-made-climate-resilience-part-its-economic-growth-strategy Sun, 18 Oct 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Trade between Brazil and China reached a record US$143 billion in the first nine months of the year, driven by Brazilian oil sales that surged after the war on Iran disrupted Gulf supply, according to a report by the Brazil-China Business Council. Brazilian exports to China rose 12 per cent to US$84.7 billion between January and September, while imports from China grew 9.9 per cent to US$58.6 billion, the council said in its quarterly analysis of government data. The resulting US$26.1 billion... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3371064/china-bought-half-brazils-oil-exports-iran-war-shut-hormuz-driving-sales-record https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3371064/china-bought-half-brazils-oil-exports-iran-war-shut-hormuz-driving-sales-record Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:23:44 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. In early October, driven by a sharp deterioration in geopolitical conditions, China’s major oil refineries reportedly suspended refined petroleum exports to all regions except Hong Kong and Macau. According to data from commodities analytics firm Kpler, the country’s commercial... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3370524/hidden-costs-chinas-energy-security https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3370524/hidden-costs-chinas-energy-security Tue, 13 Oct 2026 03:30:05 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China and other energy-importing countries are expanding clean energy capacity three times faster than energy-exporting nations, according to a recent report on the global energy transition. The shift reflects growing determination among governments to reduce reliance on imported oil and gas, a trend reinforced by disruption of shipping via critical chokepoint the Strait of Hormuz, according to risk-management firm DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook released on Wednesday. Over the last five years,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370159/china-and-other-energy-importers-lead-shift-oil-clean-energy-report-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370159/china-and-other-energy-importers-lead-shift-oil-clean-energy-report-says Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:00:13 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China halted exports of refined oil products for October in order to boost domestic fuel supplies, according to Reuters, adding to a squeeze in global markets. Regulators didn’t approve any October shipments ahead of a week-long holiday, the news service said, citing unidentified people briefed on the matter. It wasn’t clear whether permits would be given after the break ended on Wednesday. Shipments to Hong Kong and Macau have been authorised. The export shutdown risks worsening price spikes... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3370032/china-curbs-fuel-exports-amid-record-global-diesel-prices https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3370032/china-curbs-fuel-exports-amid-record-global-diesel-prices Wed, 07 Oct 2026 09:17:40 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China is accelerating ultra-deep oil and gas development to expand domestic supply amid global energy uncertainties, with advances in exploration and extraction technologies unlocking harder-to-recover resources. One key frontier is the resource-rich western region of Xinjiang, where PetroChina’s Hade-Fuman oilfield has produced more than 26 million tonnes of oil equivalent from reservoirs more than 6,000 metres underground, according to state broadcaster CCTV on Monday. Wells deeper than 6,000... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369859/china-taps-ultra-deep-oil-reserves-6000-metres-deep-global-energy-turmoil-continues https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369859/china-taps-ultra-deep-oil-reserves-6000-metres-deep-global-energy-turmoil-continues Tue, 06 Oct 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Five years after China pledged to stop building or financing new coal-fired power plants overseas, the country’s state sector has made “significant progress” towards meeting that goal, though private projects are still being developed, according to a new report. Two-thirds of China’s overseas coal power projects planned five years ago have since been cancelled, a 61.5-gigawatt (GW) cut in capacity that has saved 6.4 billion tonnes of “lifetime” carbon dioxide emissions, the study by a pair of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368556/china-has-scrapped-two-thirds-its-planned-coal-power-plants-abroad-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368556/china-has-scrapped-two-thirds-its-planned-coal-power-plants-abroad-report Thu, 24 Sep 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China has launched a huge new nationwide hunt for resources ranging from crude oil to rare earths, as it strives to shield its economy from a turbulent geopolitical environment in which raw materials are increasingly becoming instruments of leverage. The upgraded national campaign was designed to uncover and extract more of China’s own resources, as demand for key minerals was expected to keep rising in the coming years, the Ministry of Natural Resources said on Tuesday. The high-profile drive,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368482/china-launches-mineral-exploration-offensive-global-supply-chain-pressures-mount https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368482/china-launches-mineral-exploration-offensive-global-supply-chain-pressures-mount Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:05:07 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China has broken ground on the world’s first utility-scale combined supercritical carbon dioxide power generation and molten salt energy storage project, which could help reduce energy waste and improve grid stability. Construction began on the Ruitan demonstration project at China Huaneng’s Bajiao power station in Yantai last week. The project in Shandong province, eastern China, is expected to go into operation next year. During periods when energy demand is low, surplus electricity generated... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3368337/china-breaks-ground-worlds-first-supercritical-co2-and-molten-salt-energy-plant https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3368337/china-breaks-ground-worlds-first-supercritical-co2-and-molten-salt-energy-plant Tue, 22 Sep 2026 05:41:58 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China sharply increased its imports of crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Canada in August amid an escalating trade dispute between Ottawa and Washington. The country’s imports of Russian energy products also rose sharply last month, as geopolitical risks including war in Iran accelerated Beijing’s efforts to diversify its energy supplies. Customs data released on Sunday showed that the volume of China’s crude oil imports from Canada rose nearly 35 per cent year on year in August,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368210/china-boosts-crude-oil-lng-imports-canada-ottawa-washington-relations-sour https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368210/china-boosts-crude-oil-lng-imports-canada-ottawa-washington-relations-sour Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang China is showing early signs of stepping up imports of crude oil after months of subdued buying amid the US-Israel war on Iran, threatening to erode a buffer that has helped prevent a larger surge in global oil prices. But analysts do not expect China to quickly return to its pre-war import levels, as elevated crude prices could squeeze margins for Chinese refineries and the country’s stockpiles are still large enough to last for several months. Signs of a rebound in Chinese demand emerged in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368047/chinas-crude-imports-are-rising-again-what-will-mean-oil-prices https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368047/chinas-crude-imports-are-rising-again-what-will-mean-oil-prices Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:30:04 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma The US Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in three years in an effort to quell inflation partly caused by the war on Iran helping to drive up fuel prices. Policymakers voted unanimously on Wednesday to lift rates by 25 basis points to between 3.75 and 4.00 per cent. Sixteen of 18 committee members also said that they anticipate another rate hike this year. The increase will help inflation make a “timelier return” to a 2 per cent target, according to a statement, as new Fed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/policy/article/3367858/fed-rate-hike-risks-worsening-chinas-economic-divide https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/policy/article/3367858/fed-rate-hike-risks-worsening-chinas-economic-divide Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:00:41 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang Canada’s exports to China jumped by 30.1 per cent in the first half of 2026, led by crude oil, copper and other energy and mineral products, as Ottawa stepped up efforts to diversify trade ties amid growing tensions with its largest trading partner, the United States. Exports to China reached C$21.74 billion (US$15.63 billion) over the period, marking the highest first-half value since 1997, according to a trade report released by the Canada China Business Council and the China Institute at the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3367592/how-canadas-trump-headache-fuelling-china-trade-boom https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3367592/how-canadas-trump-headache-fuelling-china-trade-boom Tue, 15 Sep 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu As the shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s major oil pipeline tightens global crude supply, shipments to China remain relatively insulated in the near term, though rising prices and freight costs are set to dampen demand, according to analysts. Drone attacks launched from Iraq forced Saudi Arabia to shut its East-West pipeline, which connects its eastern oilfields to Yanbu port on the Red Sea and serves as a vital bypass around the Strait of Hormuz, where transit remains disrupted. The closure late last... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3367467/chinas-oil-demand-could-falter-saudi-pipeline-shutdown-raises-costs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3367467/chinas-oil-demand-could-falter-saudi-pipeline-shutdown-raises-costs Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:30:11 +0000 Zhu Wenqian,Frank Tang Zhu Wenqian,Frank Tang Over the past three decades, investor Fang Fenglei has had a major role in shaping China’s capital markets. He worked with Morgan Stanley in the early 1990s to help create the country’s first joint venture investment bank – China International Capital Corp. Then, at the start of the millennium, he spearheaded the listing of state-owned giants in Hong Kong as CEO of Bank of China International, later chairing a China joint venture with Goldman Sachs. Now the chairman of Hopu Investments, Fang... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3367236/private-equitys-fang-fenglei-investing-china-capital-market-reforms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3367236/private-equitys-fang-fenglei-investing-china-capital-market-reforms Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:01:04 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma In north China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, home to the country’s largest coal reserves, a vast open-pit mine cuts deep into the earth, shrouded in clouds of dust. Winters here are long and brutal, with temperatures plunging to as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit). In older, more traditional days, hundreds of truck drivers, bundled in heavy winter gear, had to brave icy roads and the risk of frostbite as they hauled loads through the pit. When dense fog and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367195/no-pit-stops-chinese-coal-mine-makes-big-upgrade-autonomous-electric-trucks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367195/no-pit-stops-chinese-coal-mine-makes-big-upgrade-autonomous-electric-trucks Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:00:07 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China and Russia’s negotiations regarding the construction of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline have stalled, according to multiple sources who have knowledge of the issue, as both sides cannot bridge a big gap over gas price expectations. “China hopes to secure a price comparable to Russia’s subsidised residential rate, around US$50/thousand cubic metres, or at least the domestic industrial rate of about US$120-130/thousand cubic metres,” said one source, who asked for anonymity due to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3366888/power-siberia-2-pipeline-talks-stall-over-china-russia-price-dispute-sources https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3366888/power-siberia-2-pipeline-talks-stall-over-china-russia-price-dispute-sources Wed, 09 Sep 2026 11:00:06 +0000 Nigel Li Nigel Li When President Xi Jinping announced the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, the sprawling network of new railways and highways branching out from China across Eurasia was just imaginary lines on a map. This year, the total volume of China’s BRI investments reached US$1.3 trillion, with a 257 per cent spike in Central Asia compared to last year, and many of those lines are no longer imaginary. The five Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/special-reports/article/3366783/how-chinese-investment-driving-central-asias-green-energy-boom https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/special-reports/article/3366783/how-chinese-investment-driving-central-asias-green-energy-boom Tue, 08 Sep 2026 23:15:12 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma Heightened geopolitical tensions are pushing global crude benchmarks towards the critical US$100-a-barrel threshold, and investment banks have lifted their end-2026 price forecasts, dampening import appetite in China – the world’s largest net crude importer. Saudi Aramco oil installations at Jizan, home to a 400,000-barrel-per-day refinery, were attacked on Monday, the Financial Times reported, with authorities assessing the damage. Iranian-backed rebels had yet to claim responsibility for the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3366737/brent-crude-stares-down-barrel-us100-barrier-global-frictions-raise-supply-risk https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3366737/brent-crude-stares-down-barrel-us100-barrier-global-frictions-raise-supply-risk Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:54:12 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu In the US, the push is on to “drill, baby, drill”. In China, the national strategy is to “walk towards the light”. Two energy behemoths, two contrasting approaches to energy. For African countries working out which way to go, the deciding factor is cost and, with China’s advances in solar generation and battery technologies making acquisitions cheaper, a consensus is coalescing across the continent around renewables. “Africa’s solar revolution is here,” said Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366527/how-chinas-green-tech-undercutting-trumps-drill-baby-drill-oil-strategy-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366527/how-chinas-green-tech-undercutting-trumps-drill-baby-drill-oil-strategy-africa Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma This summer, David Chen, a Chinese national living in Japan, got an unexpected lesson in global industrial supply chains – delivered through a bag of potato chips. When popular Japanese snack brand Calbee replaced its signature colourful packaging with monochrome designs, Chen initially assumed it was a marketing gimmick. “Then news reports explained the switch stemmed from a naphtha supply crunch. I even looked up the word,” Chen said. Naphtha, a flammable liquid processed from crude oil, might... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3366432/why-are-fuel-and-petrochemical-prices-outpacing-crude-and-how-long-will-it-last https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3366432/why-are-fuel-and-petrochemical-prices-outpacing-crude-and-how-long-will-it-last Fri, 04 Sep 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu A US-backed company’s takeover of Venezuelan oilfields, some of which were previously managed by Chinese firms, has dealt a blow to Beijing’s oil-backed loans and yuan trade networks, analysts say. Through North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), a private company, the White House said the US had secured access to oilfields with 65 billion barrels of proven reserves in Venezuela – around one-fifth of the Latin American country’s total supply – including sites previously operated by Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3366119/direct-hit-china-dealt-blow-us-backed-firm-takes-over-venezuelan-oilfields https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3366119/direct-hit-china-dealt-blow-us-backed-firm-takes-over-venezuelan-oilfields Wed, 02 Sep 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Solar power has overtaken coal as China’s largest source of installed power generation capacity for the first time, marking a landmark shift in the world’s largest energy market, according to government data. By the end of July, China’s installed photovoltaic capacity had reached 1,286 gigawatts, accounting for 31.5 per cent of the total, the National Energy Administration (NEA) reported on Tuesday. The agency called the milestone a “signature achievement” in China’s green and low-carbon energy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365985/beyond-coal-chinas-installed-solar-power-capacity-crosses-historic-threshold https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365985/beyond-coal-chinas-installed-solar-power-capacity-crosses-historic-threshold Wed, 02 Sep 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao PetroChina, China’s largest oil and gas producer, has announced that it is gradually restoring operations at its Middle Eastern projects after the US-Israeli war in Iran severely disrupted global energy flows this year. On Monday, the company reported a 22 per cent jump in first-half net profit to 103.9 billion yuan (US$15.4 billion) for the six months ended June, as higher crude oil prices boosted earnings from its upstream operations while natural-gas operations offset weaker oil production... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365866/petrochinas-first-half-profit-jumps-22-higher-oil-prices-offset-iran-war-supply-hit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365866/petrochinas-first-half-profit-jumps-22-higher-oil-prices-offset-iran-war-supply-hit Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:23:10 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang On the windswept plains just south of Tibet’s second-largest city, the towering smart inspection systems and automated cargo gantries of a brand-new international land port gleam under the plateau’s high-altitude sun. Official road maps predict the multibillion-yuan project in Shigatse will process up to 300 trucks daily by the end of 2030 – loading cargo off trains and onto the trucks that will take goods to their final destination. It will also allow the authorities to carry out customs checks... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3365622/can-beijings-gateway-plan-tibet-survive-geopolitics-and-natural-disasters https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3365622/can-beijings-gateway-plan-tibet-survive-geopolitics-and-natural-disasters Fri, 28 Aug 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma Restart schedules for the Jianxiawo lithium mine in Yichun, Jiangxi Province operated by CATL – the world’s largest lithium-ion-battery producer – are now facing fresh uncertainty. Analysts said the development could fuel volatility in lithium prices in the fourth quarter since the mine – the world’s largest single‑deposit lepidolite mine according to Yichun city – represented roughly 4 to 5 per cent of global supply when operating at full capacity. Local environmental regulator Yichun Ecology... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365601/uncertainty-over-catl-lithium-mine-restart-could-fuel-price-volatility-analysts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365601/uncertainty-over-catl-lithium-mine-restart-could-fuel-price-volatility-analysts Fri, 28 Aug 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng While extreme weather is disrupting nuclear power generation in some parts of the world, it is unlikely to derail China’s rapid expansion in the sector, according to an industry specialist. The unusually hot and dry summer has disrupted reactors across Europe, forcing units to shut down from France to Romania, as river levels have fallen and water temperatures risen. France – where nuclear accounts for around 70 per cent of electricity generation – had a record shortfall of more than 20 per cent... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3365421/why-climate-extremes-will-not-stop-expansion-chinas-nuclear-power-industry https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3365421/why-climate-extremes-will-not-stop-expansion-chinas-nuclear-power-industry Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), the nation’s largest offshore oil and gas producer, saw its net profit jump 23.4 per cent to a record high in the first half of the year, as higher oil prices and increased production boosted earnings amid the Iran war. The company’s net profit rose to 85.8 billion yuan (US$12.7 billion) in the six months ended June, up from 69.5 billion yuan a year earlier, according to an exchange filing on Wednesday. Revenue increased 16.9 per cent to 242.7... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365343/chinas-cnooc-rakes-record-first-half-profit-high-oil-prices-amid-iran-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365343/chinas-cnooc-rakes-record-first-half-profit-high-oil-prices-amid-iran-war Wed, 26 Aug 2026 11:08:09 +0000 Huizhao Huang Huizhao Huang China has flown an airborne wind energy system to 4,000 metres (13,123 feet) above sea level and generated electricity from the sky, in what state broadcaster CCTV described as a world first. According to a CCTV report on Saturday, the prototype S4000 craft completed a full work cycle – ascent, station-keeping, power generation and recovery – at a test site in northwestern China, which the broadcaster called a breakthrough for high-altitude wind power and a step towards engineering... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365180/china-taps-high-altitude-winds-power-generation-flying-craft-4000m https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365180/china-taps-high-altitude-winds-power-generation-flying-craft-4000m Tue, 25 Aug 2026 08:00:11 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi China’s battery king Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL) is enabling direct sales to smaller energy storage system makers via its own e-commerce platform, as competition with its domestic peers intensifies. The platform, officially launched on Friday, would offer orders as small as three boxes of its energy storage products, according to a social media post by the firm. CATL is currently the world’s largest producer of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/climate-and-energy/article/3365039/catl-debuts-e-commerce-platform-direct-sales-small-buyers-competition-sharpens https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/climate-and-energy/article/3365039/catl-debuts-e-commerce-platform-direct-sales-small-buyers-competition-sharpens Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:11:37 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang For generations, Ulanqab – a city several hundred kilometres northwest of Beijing whose Mongolian name means “red cliff pass” – was known for its windswept pastureland, where cattle grazed and potatoes thrived under long hours of sunlight. Its economy hinged on the weather, driven by the cool, strong breezes sweeping through the Yinshan mountain range. Today, giant wind turbines stand next to livestock across those sloping grasslands. As the global artificial intelligence boom fuels a scramble... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3364920/rural-city-once-known-livestock-now-provides-chinas-ai-computing-fuel https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3364920/rural-city-once-known-livestock-now-provides-chinas-ai-computing-fuel Mon, 24 Aug 2026 02:00:17 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu A punishing drought is draining Europe’s great rivers, pushing the Loire, the Danube and the Rhine towards record lows. At the Kaub gauging station, the reference point for shipping on the Rhine – Germany’s economic artery – the water level fell to 17cm (6.7 inches) this month, a low unseen since measurements began in 1880. Meanwhile, wildfires are burning across southern Europe, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands and producing the defining image of a European summer in which... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3364849/natural-disasters-rage-does-chinas-top-down-climate-model-provide-way-forward https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3364849/natural-disasters-rage-does-chinas-top-down-climate-model-provide-way-forward Fri, 21 Aug 2026 22:00:08 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China has launched its first batch-scale remanufacturing project for retired wind turbines in Jiuquan, Gansu province, as an ageing fleet enters a new phase of its life cycle and Beijing seeks to encourage recycling in its massive renewable-energy sector. China Resources Recycling Group (CRRG) – a state-owned enterprise established in 2024 with backing from China’s State Council and several industrial giants with the aim of bolstering national resource security – said on its website that its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3364771/china-first-project-breathes-new-life-ageing-wind-turbines https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3364771/china-first-project-breathes-new-life-ageing-wind-turbines Fri, 21 Aug 2026 04:46:00 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei A senior Mongolian official has apologised after the Chinese embassy raised concern that Mongolians “harassed the camp” of a Chinese-invested oil exploration company. According to Mongolian media reports, protesters went to the Kherlen Tohoi XXVIII oil exploration area and tried to stop exploration work by Mongolia Foison Energy last Friday. They live-streamed the event, with social media footage showing two women dumping items belonging to Chinese workers onto the ground. Two Mongolian... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364530/mongolia-apologises-after-china-raises-security-concerns-about-protesters-oil-camp https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364530/mongolia-apologises-after-china-raises-security-concerns-about-protesters-oil-camp Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:35:37 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has announced a new dedicated five-year plan to drill more crude oil and expand its network of pipelines as the world’s largest importer of fossil fuels faces heightened supply risks from geopolitical tensions. The plan, unveiled on Monday by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, called for natural gas storage capacity to exceed 13 per cent of national consumption by 2030. China also aimed to expand the annual handling capacity of its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3364406/china-plans-peak-oil-demand-amid-pipeline-increase-intelligent-rig-development https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3364406/china-plans-peak-oil-demand-amid-pipeline-increase-intelligent-rig-development Tue, 18 Aug 2026 07:26:55 +0000 Fan Hou Fan Hou China unveiled its 15th five-year plan for the oil and gas sector on August 17. The nation aims for domestic oil and gas production equal to 440 million tonnes of oil equivalent by 2030, a 5 per cent increase over its 2025 output. Below are key targets of the blueprint, which was released jointly by the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration. See below for the original document in Chinese: China's 15th five-year plan for the oil and gas sector by scmp https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3364370/chinas-five-year-plan-its-oil-and-gas-sector https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3364370/chinas-five-year-plan-its-oil-and-gas-sector Tue, 18 Aug 2026 03:47:02 +0000 Robin Hu Robin Hu In 2022, Ukraine asked SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to activate Starlink coverage around Sevastopol to support an attack on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. He refused, saying SpaceX would become “explicitly complicit in a major act of war”; he later also cited US sanctions covering Crimea. At the moment that mattered, one private actor had the final say. It exposed a question hidden inside every chokepoint. We usually ask where dependence is concentrated: a strait, mineral, technology, network. But three... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3363772/chokepoints-and-cost-cutting-access https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3363772/chokepoints-and-cost-cutting-access Sun, 16 Aug 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu When Francois Morin, China director at the World Nuclear Association – a leading international industry body – took a group of foreign nuclear engineers to a Shanghai Electric plant last year, the scale of production caught them off guard. Heavy machinery, from steam generators to reactor cores, was already assembled and ready for shipment to sites where construction had not even begun. The equipment towered over the delegates, many of whom were accustomed to supply chains back home that produce... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363550/china-building-nuclear-reactors-faster-west-can-it-keep-pace https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363550/china-building-nuclear-reactors-faster-west-can-it-keep-pace Mon, 10 Aug 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao China unveiled its 15th five-year plan for the power sector on August 3. Below are key targets of the blueprint, which was released jointly by the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration. See original document in Chinese: 新型电力系统建设“十五五”规划 by scmp https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3363503/chinas-five-year-road-map-power-sector https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3363503/chinas-five-year-road-map-power-sector Mon, 10 Aug 2026 07:43:22 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China wasted enough wind and solar power in the first half of this year to cover all new electricity demand, according to a report, as bottlenecks in grid absorption failed to stem a rebound in coal-fired generation. Though solar is poised to overtake coal as China’s largest source of installed power, an estimated 360 terawatt-hours of wind and solar electricity was curtailed in the first half – up 49 per cent year on year – according to a report released on Thursday by the Finland-based Centre... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363147/china-wasting-large-amounts-power-captured-clean-energy-hits-bottlenecks-report-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363147/china-wasting-large-amounts-power-captured-clean-energy-hits-bottlenecks-report-says Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:00:30 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Beijing has reaffirmed its 2030 nuclear-expansion target in its latest five-year plan for the power sector, following a new round of state approvals for eight reactor units. “By 2030, installed nuclear power capacity will reach around 110 million kilowatts [110 gigawatts],” authorities pledged in the document, released by the National Development and Reform Commission on Monday. While that would mark a sharp rise from China’s installed capacity of 68.5GW as of the end of June, according to data... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362893/china-accelerates-nuclear-roll-out-new-reactor-plans-energy-security-push https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362893/china-accelerates-nuclear-roll-out-new-reactor-plans-energy-security-push Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:30:24 +0000 Daisy Wu Daisy Wu China’s outsize footprint in global commodities is helping to cushion international energy shocks and stabilise gold prices, even as its export controls on rare earths and other critical minerals trigger violent price swings in the Western technology supply chain, according to Goldman Sachs. In a report published on Monday, commodities analysts Daan Struyven and Lia Thomas cast Beijing as the global commodity markets’ de facto “volatility arbiter”, arguing that Chinese policies pulled price... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/commodities/article/3362861/chinas-outsize-commodities-footprint-cushions-global-energy-shocks-goldman-sachs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/commodities/article/3362861/chinas-outsize-commodities-footprint-cushions-global-energy-shocks-goldman-sachs Tue, 04 Aug 2026 02:50:25 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen With the US-Israel war on Iran entering its sixth month, Chinese policymakers have a multitude of questions weighing on their minds, with two proving particularly thorny according to a prominent economist: how much longer the conflict might last, and whether it will necessitate adjustments to previous plans. While the continuing impact on China might remain “small”, said Mao Zhenhua – co-director of Renmin University’s Institute of Economic Research and a professor at the University of Hong... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362800/iran-war-could-still-alter-beijings-policy-calculus-economist https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362800/iran-war-could-still-alter-beijings-policy-calculus-economist Mon, 03 Aug 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Solar is poised to overtake coal as China’s largest source of installed power capacity this year, as Beijing steps up its green transition with a renewed emphasis on efficiency, quality and orderly growth over sheer scale. Total installed solar capacity reached 1.27 billion kilowatts (kW) by the end of June and was projected to surpass coal before the end of the year, state-run People’s Daily reported on Wednesday, citing the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA). Solar power generation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362276/chinas-solar-surge-nears-historic-milestone-even-beijing-slams-brakes-sheer-scale https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362276/chinas-solar-surge-nears-historic-milestone-even-beijing-slams-brakes-sheer-scale Thu, 30 Jul 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao China unveiled its 15th five-year plan for renewable energy on Thursday. Below are the key targets outlined in the blueprint, which was released jointly by the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration. See original document in Chinese: 可再生能源发展“十五五”规划 by scmp https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3361681/chinas-15th-five-year-plan-renewable-energy-development https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3361681/chinas-15th-five-year-plan-renewable-energy-development Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s private sector is increasingly taking part in public infrastructure, with battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) joining a newly announced hydropower project as Beijing encourages private investors to enter fields once dominated by state funding. CATL will partner with a subsidiary of the state-owned SDIC Power Holdings to build a 33.4 billion yuan (US$4.9 billion) hydropower plant in southwestern Sichuan province. The battery maker will hold a 10 per cent stake in the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3361604/catl-bets-hydropower-amid-chinas-drive-expand-private-stakes-state-projects https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3361604/catl-bets-hydropower-amid-chinas-drive-expand-private-stakes-state-projects Fri, 24 Jul 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Huizhao Huang Huizhao Huang China is building more wind and solar capacity than the rest of the world combined, but transmission bottlenecks risk prolonging its reliance on coal, according to a report published on Tuesday by Global Energy Monitor (GEM). More than 500 gigawatts (GW) of China’s planned 1,360GW of utility-scale wind and solar projects were under construction, enough to put the country on track to meet its 2030 target to have wind and solar account for more than half of its installed power capacity by the end... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3361467/chinas-power-grid-no-longer-keeping-pace-green-energy-capacity-study-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3361467/chinas-power-grid-no-longer-keeping-pace-green-energy-capacity-study-says Thu, 23 Jul 2026 03:00:11 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China’s oil and gas sector is facing “enormous challenges” in boosting reserves and expanding production after achieving record-high output last year as part of Beijing’s energy security drive, according to a report released by the National Energy Administration (NEA). Total oil and gas production reached a new high of 420 million tonnes of oil equivalent last year, with crude oil output hitting a record 216 million tonnes, which the NEA said had “considerably enhanced self-reliance”. But the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3361437/china-hits-record-oil-and-gas-output-so-why-it-warning-dual-squeeze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3361437/china-hits-record-oil-and-gas-output-so-why-it-warning-dual-squeeze Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:00:20 +0000