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Byford Tsang

@byfordt.bsky.social
873 followers 171 following 45 posts

EU-China relations, China's climate and energy policies, climate diplomacy. Think tanker at @ecfr.bsky.social

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Reposted by Byford Tsang
ECFR Asia @ecfrasia.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Cold comfort: Europe is learning to adapt to a hotter climate. It should take the same approach to economic dependencies. @byfordt.bsky.social discusses what China can teach Europe about adaptation. 📖 Read here the full paper⤵️ buff.ly/mxMVYfJ @ecfr.eu
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ECFR @ecfr.eu · 03/06/2026
Can Europe's green transition survive an era of political turbulence? 👇 Join us in Brussels on June 8 to discuss. Full event details here: ecfr.eu/event/the-ar...
ecfr.eu
NPP Brussels Event | The Art of the Deal: European Green Policy in Trumpian Times
Website page for NPP event in Brussels on 8 June.
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Wonder what the Italians have to say about Tiramisu being served at a Chinese state banquet (for Trump)
everymealcounts.substack.com
[Weekend Special] What They Put on the Table
A state banquet menu is never just food. But sometimes the food is the most honest thing in the room.
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Reposted by Byford Tsang
The Economist @economist.com · 12/02/2026
China’s trains may be fast—but hangdog democrats are wrong to think that autocracies have cracked the code of economic dynamism: econ.st/4awQGwX Illustration: Chloe Cushman
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Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Hong Kong court jails pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai for 20 years
bbc.com
Hong Kong court jails pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai for 20 years
Lai was sentenced for offences under the city's controversial national security law.
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Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · 03/02/2026
😬 ‘Rush’ for new coal in China hits record high in 2025 as climate deadline looms www.carbonbrief.org/rush-for-new...
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Sense Hofstede @sensehofstede.nl · 30/01/2026
China has lifted sanctions from six serving British MPs and peers, PM Starmer says – The Guardian: ‘China’s sanctions were a retaliation against the UK imposing sanctions on Chinese officials held responsible for atrocities in Xinjiang. It is understood that those will not be lifted in return.’
theguardian.com
China has lifted sanctions from six serving British MPs and peers, Starmer says
Starmer confirms immediate removal, but it is unclear if sanctions remain on former MP, academic and barrister
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Jeremy Cliffe @jeremycliffe.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Europe needs green tech. Europe needs to be resilient against Chinese coercion. Two imperatives, two camps. How to reconcile them? @byfordt.bsky.social just published the definitive study for @ecfr.eu. Read it ⬇️ ecfr.eu/publication/...
ecfr.eu
Don’t look down: How Europeans can escape China’s clean-tech gravity – European Council on Foreign Relations
China’s manufacturing surge and trade tactics are dampening Europe’s clean-tech goals. Europeans need to forge coalitions across wary member states to secure th
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ECFR @ecfr.eu · 31/10/2025
Protecting profit margins today cannot come at the cost of Europe’s industrial strength tomorrow, write @byfordt.bsky.social and Rosa Melissa Gehrung @ecfrasia.bsky.social bit.ly/4nAx1kj
bit.ly
Green competitiveness: Why Europe should rethink targets to outpace China
European carmakers are falling behind Chinese makers of electric vehicles. Yet watered-down climate targets will not help European cars compete with China; a different approach is needed…
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Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Next up at Atlantic Council - EU competition boss Teresa Ribera asked about China, which she says is "providing solutions that could help the whole humankind" in the green energy space. She says the US "seems to be backtracking" on the green front, which "is not helpful"
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
China's new climate target is inadequate. But as the EU mulls over their own climate goals, it'd be a mistake to view China’s low target as a sign Beijing is de-prioritising climate and clean tech.
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Reposted by Byford Tsang
ECFR @ecfr.eu · 26/09/2025
Europeans should understand that China views climate policy not as ideology—but as a lever of industrial power, writes @byfordt.bsky.social @ecfrasia.bsky.social bit.ly/42z4ofJ
ecfr.eu
Not so fast: What China’s new climate target means for Europe and the planet
Europeans should understand that China views climate policy not as ideology—but as a lever of industrial power…
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Context on China's new 2035 6x solar and wind capacity target - slower than business as usual trend
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
A symbolic first? EVs are now in China’s new official climate target to the UN. But the target is recycled, watered down and depending on how it’s defined, China will to reach it by end of the year.
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Lauri Myllyvirta @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
Xi Jinping announced China's new climate targets personally, a positive gesture, but the targets brought little clarity on China’s future emission pathway. Targeting a 7-10% emission reduction by 2035 from an undefined "peak level" undersells China's current clean energy boom.
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Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
China's former veteran climate envoy Xie Zhenhua is in Brussels today to meet Teresa Ribera "to resuscitate flailing international climate negotiations ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil"
reuters.com
China's former climate envoy to meet with EU to revive flailing UN pact, sources say
China's former veteran climate envoy, who previously secured two pivotal climate agreements with the United States, will meet with the EU's top green transition official on Tuesday to resuscitate flailing international climate negotiations ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil, three sources told Reuters.
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Adding to the woes of European wind turbine manufacturers: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
Octopus Energy Opens Door to Bring Chinese Wind Turbines to UK
Octopus Energy, the UK’s biggest supplier of power and gas, struck a deal that may bring Chinese wind turbines to Britain for the first time.
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Hong Kong Free Press HKFP @hongkongfp.com · 02/09/2025
1/ Too often, news media depict unprecedented heatwaves with “fun in the sun” images of cheery beachgoers or children playing in fountains. But the reality is more long-term, and a lot less trivial: struggling workers, sweating pedestrians, and ecological damage. In full: buff.ly/DuC51F1
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ECFR Berlin @ecfrberlin.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
Die deutsche Firma Luxcara hat sich gegen Windturbinen aus China entschieden und möchte nun Anlagen von Siemens Energy nutzen. Das zeigt: Europa kann seine Windindustrie noch retten – aber nur, wenn die Politik entschlossen fairen Wettbewerb sichert, zeigt unsere aktuelle Studie.
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
As the UK launches an EV grant favouring European production with lower carbon footprint, Chinese brand Leapmotor mirrored the subsidy with its own cuts, making its model currently the UK’s cheapest. www.ft.com/content/63dd...
ft.com
China’s Leapmotor sells cheapest EV in UK after mirroring government grant
New discount programme intended to exclude Chinese manufacturers
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Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air @creacleanair.bsky.social · 21/08/2025
🇨🇳 📰 NEW | Analysis: Record solar growth keeps China’s CO2 falling in H1 2025 🌿 ☀️ CO2 output of the nation’s power sector fell by 3% in H1 2025 as growth in solar power alone matched the rise in electricity demand @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social w/ @carbonbrief.org www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-rec...
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
「多半不會有用,多半不會成功,知識只是照見某個角落的靈光。」
zaobao.com.sg
梁文道播客在中国平台全面下架 多个社媒账号被封
(新加坡讯)香港文化人梁文道的播客《八分半》,疑因触及敏感议题停更一个月后,被中国大陆音频平台全面下架,多个官方社媒账号也被封禁。
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
China has extended its anti-dumping probe into EU dairy products until Feb 2026, keeping leverage in the EV tariff fight. Duties already hit brandy, with a pork probe due by Dec. www.reuters.com/world/china/...
reuters.com
China extends probe into EU dairy products as trade tussle goes on
China extended on Monday its anti-subsidy investigation into European Union dairy imports by six months, one front in a wider trade war with Brussels and Washington.
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
China leads the world in high-quality patent filings for batteries and solar, while Europe retains the lead in wind and smart grids. China applied for more than 2x as many high-quality clean energy patents as the US. @nytimes analysis of @EPOorg data www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
Chinese wind tech breakthrough: Envision says its 2-blade turbine now matches 3-blade output - cheaper, faster to install, easier to transport, lighter towers/cranes, quicker assembly, better in storms, simpler maintenance. www.energylivenews.com/2025/08/11/c...
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
Germany’s failed offshore wind auction highlights the cost and risk pressures on developers. Minister now calling for change in auction system. In my briefing with @lukepatey.bsky.social, we looked at the issue of negative bidding & its impact on competitive landscape. 🔗 ecfr.eu/publication/...
offshore-mag.com
Germany receives no bids in zero-subsidy offshore wind auction
Analysts say that Germany needs to revamp its auction design and include a ‘contract for differences’ mechanism.
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Brazil will bring forward a tariff hike on pre-assembled EV kits to 35% by Jan 2027 (from 14%), to boost localisation and deter assembly-only plants like BYD’s, opened last month and also facing a labour lawsuit over alleged human trafficking. www.electrive.com/2025/08/01/b...
electrive.com
Brazil accelerates tariff hike on disassembled EV imports - electrive.com
Brazil’s foreign trade committee, Gecex-Camex, has announced an earlier-than-planned increase to import duties on disassembled electric and hybrid vehicles,
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Ford is delaying its electric pickup truck and van to 2028 to focus on affordable, small EVs - responding to pressure from Chinese automakers driving down costs and offering a wide range of low-priced models. www.reuters.com/business/aut...
reuters.com
Ford delays electric pickup, van to 2028 as it chases smaller, affordable options
Ford Motor is delaying the launch of two next-generation electric vehicles as it shifts its focus to smaller and more affordable models, the company said on Thursday.
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
As China tightens its export control regime on permanent magnets, Germany sets out a roadmap to cut reliance on Chinese magnets for the wind industry: 15% ‘resilient’ magnets by 2029, 30% by 2030, 50% by 2035.
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Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
Germany's Daimler Truck’s chief executive has said the group will not rule out an exit from manufacturing in China as the world’s largest truck producer grapples with a “crazy” global down cycle, compounded by US tariffs and weak demand in Europe. www.ft.com/content/4697...
ft.com
Daimler Truck mulls China production exit as it faces ‘crazy’ down cycle
Diesel vehicle sales hit by shift to LNG while US tariffs and weak demand in Europe add to German group’s woes
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Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
Spot of the day by @byfordt.bsky.social The EU readout quotes VDL asking Li Qiang to "limit the external impact of overcapacity - but she actually asked him to "limit the external impact of involution" Smart of whoever wrote those notes to frame it that way
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
Quick take on EU-China (or China-EU) climate joint statement: We'll do more of the same and we'll commit to make some commitments later. vs. last joint statement back in 2021 - in which China stated that it was going to 'strictly control coal consumption (it didn't)
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ECFR Asia @ecfrasia.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
Last gasp: In their latest publication, @byfordt.bsky.social and @lukepatey.bsky.social lay out a path forward for Europe’s wind industry to reduce its dependence on China. 🧵
ecfr.eu
Last gasp: Securing Europe’s wind industry from dependence on China
Europe’s pioneering wind turbine manufacturers are grappling with Chinese competition at home and abroad—but it is not too late to save them…
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Tobias Gehrke @tobiasgehrke.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
Smart piece by my colleague @byfordt.bsky.social on how the 🇪🇺 and 🇮🇳 can collaborate on clean technology. @ecfrasia.bsky.social ecfr.eu/article/caug...
ecfr.eu
Caught in the crossfire: Why the EU and India must collaborate on clean technology
The EU’s and India’s ambitions to become more self reliant on clean technology is facing significant geoeconomic hurdles. To overcome them, they need to work together…
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ECFR @ecfr.eu · 11/02/2025
«China wants to be seen as an advocate of international climate protection and as a provider of global public goods, including clean technologies.» — @byfordt.bsky.social on China's climate diplomacy via @nzz.ch 📰 🔗 Read more:
buff.ly
China is exporting more green tech to developing countries
The EU is making access to its markets more difficult for electric cars, solar systems and wind turbines from China. Meanwhile more and more of these products are finding buyers in the global South.
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Alexander Lipke @alexlipke.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
I'm still grappling with what is unfolding in Seoul tonight, but I would agree with this assessment that this should likely be spelling the end to Yoon's presidency one way or another, the open question being the degree of violence between now and then.
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Tobias Gehrke @tobiasgehrke.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
European companies must compete across each supply-chain segment, whereas Chinese state firms can produce raw materials at a loss and thereby bolster battery-makers downstream 🇪🇺 companies are not competing against individual 🇨🇳 companies – but against entire supply chains ecfr.eu/article/rech...
ecfr.eu
Recharge or regret: Why the EU must act decisively to secure Europe’s struggling battery industry
Northvolt’s near-collapse demonstrates why the EU needs an economic security doctrine to identify where in the battery supply chain Europe can create winners – and then go all-in for success. If Europ...
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Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Starmer twice declines to directly condemn jailing of Hong Kong pro-democracy figures www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Starmer twice declines to directly condemn jailing of Hong Kong pro-democracy figures
UK prime minister was condemned by Iain Duncan Smith, who is on Beijing’s sanctions list
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Byford Tsang @byfordt.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
1/ As COP29 coming to a close, let's take stock of where China stands on climate finance. EU climate chief Hoekstra once said: "If you are able to embark on a mission to the moon and are responsible for 1/4 of global emissions... you simply need to do more." So, will China pay? 🧵
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Tobias Gehrke @tobiasgehrke.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
US-China Econ/Sec Rev. Com zeroes in on Chinese energy grid batteries. Instructs Congress to ban or restrict imports, singling out CATL in particular. Trump could also reinstate a rip-and-replace EO from his first tenure. Huawei redux? Europeans will not be able to sit this one out
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Janka Oertel @jankaoertel.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
Follow my fantastic colleagues @byfordt.bsky.social and @matsengstrom.bsky.social here on Bluesky and read @byfordt.bsky.social first ECFR @ecfr Commentary - if you are interested in the nexus of China climate and geopolitics we have you covered!
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Mats Engström @matsengstrom.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
Great piece by @ecfr.bsky.social colleague @byfordt.bsky.social ecfr.eu/article/carb... #China #COP29
ecfr.eu
Carbon diplomacy: How Europe can steer China’s climate path
Beijing is poised to make a pivotal decision that will shape global climate action for decades to come and directly affect European climate safety.
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