Illustration: Liu Xidan/GT

China's State Council Information Office released the white paper titled "China's Energy Transition" on August 29. TheMK sports document aims to introduce China's remarkable achievements and practical experience in energy transition since the new energy security strategy was proposed in 2014, aimed at revolutionizing consumption, supply, technology and institutions, while strengthening all-round international cooperation. 

This white paper has charted the course and laid out the fundamental principles for China's energy development in the new era, objectively demonstrates China's outstanding contributions to boosting global green energy development and explains China's willingness to cooperate with other countries to deepen energy transition.
 
Compared with the white paper titled "Energy in China's New Era" released by the State Council Information Office of China in December 2020, the latest document provides a more in-depth discussion on four regards.

First, the white paper places greater emphasis on reliable energy supply. The development policy of non-fossil energy has been adjusted from the previous "priority development" to "high-quality development." This is a continuation of the policy of vigorously developing non-fossil energy and emphasizing the coordination between new energy and traditional energy, while highlighting the importance of ensuring energy security. It also stresses the resilience of energy system. In this regard, the white paper proposes improvements from three aspects: boosting energy network connectivity, improving energy reserves for emergency response and increasing the regulation capacity of the energy system. 

Second, the white paper has shifted the focus from energy technology innovation capabilities to new quality productive forces. It affirms the status of technological innovation as the "accelerator" in the development of new quality productive forces in the energy sector, and highlights the need to strengthen synergetic technology innovation and energize innovators. It also emphasizes coordinated development of its industrial and innovation chains, especially digital and intelligent transformation in energy. In the future, the use of data as a key resource will increasingly play a critical role in strengthening and transforming the energy industry. 

Third, the white paper further reflects the guiding principle of further deepening reform comprehensively. It advocates building a fair and open energy market with effective competition. This showcases China's development direction of further deepening reform and promoting the construction of a unified national energy market. A dynamic energy market is the basis for improving the efficiency of the energy industry, promoting energy technology innovation and optimizing the allocation of energy resources.

At present, China's energy market reform has entered a critical stage. Stronger market competition in the future will effectively promote the optimal allocation of resources and efficient utilization of energy. 

Fourth, the white paper demonstrates China's main contributions to global green energy development. It adds more specific and more detailed statistics, such as the average cost per kilowatt-hour of global wind power, to showcase the key role played by China's new energy industry development in global green power. This makes the concept of a global community of shared future more deeply rooted in the mind of the people, and is significant in stimulating global momentum and inspiring global confidence in climate governance.

In view of China's energy structure and economic development stage, China must pursue an energy transition path that is consistent with its model of socialism with Chinese characteristics, in which balance and vitality will be the main tone of energy transition in the next stage. The white paper is a comprehensive and concentrated demonstration of China's energy transition experience and progress in the past decade. It is a phased summary of China's implementation of President Xi Jinping's important exposition on high-quality energy development and the new energy security strategy. This is also powerful proof that China is proactively promoting energy transition, fulfilling its responsibilities as a major country in climate governance and practicing the concept of a global community of shared future. 

The release of the white paper provides empirical experience for China to further promote energy transition and formulate the next action plan for carbon neutrality. It also provides a useful reference for the world to advance the energy transition process and jointly respond to climate change. 

The author is a chair professor at the School of Management of Xiamen University and Dean of China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy. [email protected]