By Hasan Muhammad

Editor's Note: The writer is a freelance columnist on international affairs based in Karachi, Pakistan. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of China Economic Net.

The world stands at a precarious juncture in its battle against climate change. As 2025 draws to a close, the United Nations Climate Summit's echoes have faded into a landscape marked by faltering commitments and fractured alliances. Major economies grapple with internal divisions, while the machinery of multilateral cooperation creaks under the weight of protectionism and short-term priorities. In this uncertain environment, China's push to green its vast manufacturing sector emerges not as an isolated national effort, but as a stabilizing force capable of reshaping global energy dynamics.

Developing nations, bearing the brunt of rising temperatures, watch as pledges from wealthier powers fall short, leaving gaps in funding and technology transfer. Yet amid this drift, China's manufacturing transition stands out for its scale and resolve. Rooted in a vision of ecological harmony, it transforms the very engine of global production into a driver of sustainability.

At the heart of this shift lies a commitment to overhaul China's manufacturing base, the world's largest, into a low-carbon powerhouse. The nation's updated Nationally Determined Contributions, unveiled at the UN Climate Summit in September, set bold targets: by 2035, wind and solar capacity will reach 3,600 gigawatts, more than six times 2020 levels, while new energy vehicles become the norm in sales. These goals reflect a deeper philosophy that views environmental stewardship as inseparable from economic vitality.

China's achievements in this arena are already reshaping global supply chains. The country has forged the world's most comprehensive new energy ecosystem, exporting renewables to over 200 nations and meeting more than 80 percent of worldwide demand for photovoltaic modules and 70 percent for wind equipment. From 2021 to 2024, its production of photovoltaic modules alone generated 3.2 trillion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity, slashing global carbon dioxide emissions by 2.54 billion tons. Over half of the planet's electric vehicles ply Chinese roads, a testament to integrated chains that span raw materials to assembly. Technological breakthroughs underpin this dominance: over the past decade, China has driven down the cost of wind and solar electricity by over 60 and 80 percent, respectively, making green power accessible to economies once locked into fossil fuels.

This domestic momentum propels international collaboration, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative. Chinese enterprises in photovoltaics, wind, batteries, and electric vehicles are expanding into projects across partner countries, from Southeast Asia to Africa. In the first half of 2025, green energy engagements under the initiative hit record highs, with nearly 10 billion dollars invested in wind, solar, and waste-to-energy schemes, adding 11.9 gigawatts of capacity. Thailand's Gulf photovoltaic and battery storage project, backed by multilateral loans, exemplifies this: it harnesses abundant sunlight to bolster regional grids, reducing reliance on imports. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and the UAE host flagship solar parks that align with national diversification goals, while African partnerships deliver clean power to underserved communities.

The implications extend to multilateral arenas. Its South-South ties, formalized in 55 memoranda with 43 developing countries, emphasize shared benefits: clean energy spurs growth without debt traps.

In an era of setbacks, China's manufacturing green shift recalls an old proverb: steady action yields results. It honors the pledge of a shared future, not through grand gestures, but through factories that power the world cleanly and partnerships that endure geopolitical storms. For nations eyeing 2030's deadlines, the lesson is clear.