China is often lauded for its devotion to clean energy. BTW, it also oppresses freedom.
February 17, 2026
By Gary Abernathy
One of the most frustrating things about the radical climate change movement is that it is so
wedded to its ideology that when it comes to “good” nations versus “bad” nations, it makes its
judgments with a myopic focus on climate policy alone, everything else be damned.
The latest and greatest example of this narrow minded point of view is the climate zealots’
infatuation with China. According to the preferred narrative, China is setting the example for all to
follow when it comes to the development of alternative energy.
Some headlines from just the last year alone:
“Clean energy drove more than a third of China’s GDP growth in 2025” – CarbonBrief.
“How China, not the U.S., became the main climate solution story in 2025” – NPR.
“For the First Time, China Invests More in Wind and Solar Than Coal Overseas” – Inside Climate
News.
“China breaks more records with surge in solar and wind power” – The Guardian.
“China Solar and Wind Installations Break More World Records” – EcoWatch.
On and on it goes, one after the other – headlines and stories heralding “forward-thinking”
China and the wonders to be found there.
Many of the stories about China include jabs at the United States and the Trump
administration’s reversal of the reckless, costly subsidies allocated to wind and solar by the Biden
administration. Overall, the climate change crowd rivals the NBA in its inability to find anything negative to say about China.
Difficult to find in any of the stories about China’s energy policies are narratives giving a fuller
picture of the country in general. Here are some reminders.
China’s oppressive regime punishes citizens who criticize it. It blocks most social media outlets,
most foreign news outlets and manipulates historical facts. There is no independent press. Journalists
are often detained and charged with spying or subversion. China’s economic growth – including in the
energy sector – goes hand-in-hand with its repression and punishment tactics.
Need some specific examples?
“Leaders of a prominent underground church have been detained in south-west China,
according to a church statement, the latest blow in what appears to be a sweeping crackdown on
unregistered Christian groups in the country,” according to The Guardian last month.
“Hong Kong media tycoon and democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai … the founder of the now-
shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper … faces possible life imprisonment … Some countries, including the U.S. and Britain, have said the trial was politically motivated,” according to Reuters earlier this month.
“Chinese courts are systematically weaponizing vague national security and public order laws to
silence human rights defenders…” Amnesty International reported last October.
But they sure do make a nice solar panel.
Of course, aside from gushing over a country that you would worry about being “disappeared”
from if you were actually there helping establish solar fields, the country’s energy picture isn’t quite as bright and clean as some stories portray.
Just earlier this month, ABC News offered a reality check, noting that even though China is
indeed building solar and wind power, the country “opened many more coal power plants than it had in recent years — raising concern about whether the world's largest emitter will reduce carbon emissions enough to limit climate change.” Let’s take a wild guess: No.
“More than 50 large coal units — individual boiler and turbine sets with generating capacity of 1
gigawatt or more — were commissioned in 2025, up from fewer than 20 a year over the previous
decade, a research report released Tuesday said,” ABC reported. “Depending on energy use, 1 gigawatt can power from several hundred thousand to more than 2 million homes.”
“The scale of the buildout is staggering,” said report co-author Christine Shearer of Global
Energy Monitor. “In 2025 alone, China commissioned more coal power capacity than India did over the entire past decade.”
China may often outpace other countries in economic development and innovation. But in any
analysis comparing China to free countries like the U.S. it’s crucial to note the differences in societies
and governments.
The U.S. and other free nations operate in a democratic fashion that requires consensus,
legislation and, ultimately, the judgment of voters at regular elections. China is governed by one-party
authoritarian rule, with the Chinese Communist Party controlling all major institutions.
It’s one thing to report on the economic initiatives undertaken in China, whether involving
energy or other sectors. But any story that fails to offer reminders of China’s tactics of oppression and
coercion to achieve its ends is failing the audience. And don’t worry – in the U.S. you won’t get locked up for telling the truth about China.
Gary Abernathy is a longtime newspaper editor, reporter and columnist. He was a contributing
columnist for the Washington Post from 2017-2023 and a frequent guest analyst across numerous media platforms. He is a contributing opinion columnist for The Empowerment Alliance, which advocates for realistic approaches to energy consumption and environmental conservation.