China is now building the biggest high-speed railway system and the biggest electrification transport system in the world. China is seriously working to rely less on fossil fuel, to immunize itself from being taken hostage by oil producing countries, with the USA intending to weaponize oil production to cripple China. You do not have to speculate why the USA is seizing oil from Iraq and Venezuela, controlling the Middle East oil producing countries and having eyes on Iranian oil as well.
The War against Iran and the Strait of Hormuz crisis is giving China a dry run in the event of oil blockade by the USA. The motto of China is - be prepared. and China is preparing on all counts. China is building up its renewable energy infrastructure in wind and solar, on top of dam construction, nuclear power station construction and constructing massive underground oil storage system that are safe from sabotage. While most countries have storage facilities mostly above ground, China is aware that such storage above ground poses several disadvantages and easily bombed to smithereens by enemies. This is the same thinking as what Singapore is doing by building huge underground caverns for oil storage, knowing that it is vulnerable to oil shocks by depending on other countries for such an important commodity.
In terms of scale, no country can compete against China, whether it is in scale of manufacturing facilities, refining facilities, sourcing of raw materials and competing against the best of the best in vehicle production, shipbuilding, infrastructure building and now in high tech industries.
China calculated with long term foresight regarding what is essential, what it needs to take control over and corner, what to build and what expertise to nurture to make all this happen.
Anonymous
3 comments:
While the USA is fixated on its bet to use oil as a weapon, China is fixated on moving away from fossil fuel. Both have diametrically different approach to the use of fossil fuel. The rate of which the USA is trying to monopolize fossil fuel control, is countered by the rate of China's intent to move away from dependence on fossil fuel.
Both will have a greater impact on the rest of the world. Renewable energy is unlimited, whereas fossil fuel is limited and subject o geopolitical influence. Which side will other countries choose is telling.
The number of nuclear power stations now being built by China is staggering, more than the rest of the world combined. And the cost of building them are much cheaper and faster to boot. I would say that China's move towards reliance on renewables instead of fossil fuel is now a national priority for the Chinese Government. No hesitation, no backtracking and no turning back. The intent is resolute, the investment is totally committed, and the results will come on faster than expected.
Have you read about China selling air-conditioners to France like hot cakes in the face of the heatwave? The oil crisis over the Strait of Hormuz and the changing weather pattern is no longer laughing matter and is helping China more than meets the eye. Moreover, what is happening with energy demand is bound to change mindsets about renewables and here again China is going to laugh its way to the bank selling more solar panels to Europe. They can demonize, they can make fun of Chinese cheap solar panels, they can call them junks. But when the shit hits the fan, they are no longer laughing and denigrating.
Just wait for the Chinese to export its portable nuclear power plants that is going to change the world in energy infrastructure demands. The world of fossil fuel producers may no longer reign supreme.
What China achieved is not by luck or just hoping for dreams to happen. It is all hard work, sacrifice and patience. And, of course, knowing what to bet on, what to prioritize, what markets to build up and helping those markets to build up its infrastructures and giving them loans. Nothing happens or moves with just rhetorics, threats and putting others down to climb up.
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