What are the implications of China’s announcement last week that it will be spending $360m over the next four years to build up its renewable energy sector? There are many reasons behind the move, from Beijing’s growing concern about the impact of climate change to the political imperative of reducing low level pollution in the smog-ridden cities. The scale of the investment, however, suggests that two closely related policy objectives are driving energy strategy: an effort to create a modernised economy that can provide employment for the Chinese workforce and a determination to limit dependence on imported supplies.
不久前，中國宣稱未來4年將投資3600億美元打造可再生能源部門，這會產生何種影響？此舉背後有很多原因，從北京方面日益擔憂氣候變化的衝擊，到降低受霧霾困擾的城市的汙染水準的政治必要性。 然而，這一投資規模似乎表明，兩個密切相關的政策目標正在推動能源戰略：努力成立能爲中國勞動力提供就業崗位的現代化經濟，以及決心限制對進口供應的依賴。