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Elon Musk gives ringing endorsement to China’s global lead in renewable energy and electric vehicles on Twitter and Weibo

  • Musk’s comment can be interpreted as a warning that US policymakers must ensure China continues to cooperate on climate change, analysts say
  • It is much more productive for the US and China to cooperate on clean energy technology development, says executive at Hong Kong consultancy

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In this file photo taken on December 1, 2020 SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses as he arrives for an awards ceremony in Berlin. Musk, a strong clean energy supporter, said in a post on Weibo two months earlier that “sustainable energy generation from sun and wind is making great progress”. Photo: AFP
Eric Ng
China’s technological edge in renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs) has been endorsed by none other than Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man and an entrepreneur most often linked with innovation for his involvement in everything from SpaceX’s mission to Mars to Tesla electric cars.
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“Few seem to realise that China is leading the world in renewable energy generation and electric vehicles,” he said in a post on Twitter as well as China’s Twitter-like Weibo social-media platform on Monday. “Whatever you may think of China, this is simply a fact.”
Elon Musk’s post on Weibo on Monday. Photo: Weibo
Elon Musk’s post on Weibo on Monday. Photo: Weibo
Musk did not elaborate, but the comment – made at a time when the United States and China are engaged in an ongoing technology war – could be interpreted as a warning to US policymakers, that they must tread carefully to ensure China continues to cooperate on tackling the long-term global issue of climate change, analysts said.

“Given China’s existing capability and continued investment in the value-chain of clean energy technology development, it is much more productive for the US and China to work cooperatively in [this area],” said Lucas Zhang Liutong, director of Hong Kong-based consultancy WaterRock Energy Economics.

“If parts of the clean energy supply chain, like battery and smart grid equipment, come under bifurcation pressures like those seen in 5G [wireless technology], equipment costs will increase and the pace of decarbonisation in many developing countries may slow down further,” he added.

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China is the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide and was responsible for 30 per cent of last year’s worldwide emissions. The greenhouse gas is known to be the biggest contributor to global warming. But while it is the world’s largest consumer of coal, the most carbon-intensive fuel, China is also the world’s leading producer of hydro, wind and solar power.

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