气候与能源合作将推动中美关系发展 - 2026-10-20
More than two decades ago, an American named Ronald Sakolsky came across the story of Yin Yuzhen, a Chinese farmer who had devoted herself to planting trees and fighting desertification in the Maowusu Sandy Land in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.
Moved by her determination, Sakolsky raised $5,000 in 1999 to support her efforts. Yin used the money to buy more than 50,000 saplings, which eventually grew into what is now known as the "Sakolsky Forest".
In August this year, 26 years later, Sakolsky returned to China to find that the saplings had grown into a thriving forest. Sakolsky and Yin planted another tree together — a "tree of friendship". On Sept 24, during the welcoming banquet hosted by US President Donald Trump in Washington, President Xi Jinping highlighted the story as an example of friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
This story is deeply symbolic. A small act of goodwill between two individuals has grown over decades into a flourishing forest — and into a story celebrated by leaders of the world's two largest economies. It shows that enduring cooperation often stems from consistent long-term efforts rather than grand gestures.
Today, China-US relations require this kind of patience. While the two countries compete in many domains and have differences that will persist, the stability of their relationship is crucial not only for them but for the world. Trade, technology, energy, global finance, regional security, and climate change are all influenced by the state of China-US relations.
Strategic stability does not mean eliminating competition or aligning political values and national interests. It involves setting boundaries around competition, managing differences and preserving room for cooperation where mutual interests — and those of the wider world — converge.
Climate and energy cooperation could be an important pillar of this strategic relationship. There is already a solid foundation for this. Over the years, China and the US have cooperated on energy efficiency, smart grids, electric vehicles, clean energy technologies, methane emissions, and more. Such cooperation should not be abandoned due to disagreements in other areas of the bilateral relationship.
Importantly, future China-US energy cooperation should be based on mutual learning rather than the assumption that one side has all the answers. The US excels in basic science, technological innovation and energy entrepreneurship. The shale revolution exemplifies how technological innovation can transform both a country's energy system and global markets. US advances in next-generation nuclear energy, small modular reactors, geothermal energy and other technologies deserve attention in China.
For its part, China has accumulated experience that the US could study. Operating the world's largest power system, China has developed remarkable capabilities in ultra-high-voltage transmission, grid construction, hydropower, nuclear power construction, solar and wind manufacturing, electric vehicles and battery supply chains.
The US is adept at taking innovation from concept to reality, while China excels at scaling technologies, building supply chains and driving down costs. These strengths should be seen as complementary rather than competitive. There are several areas where cooperation could be expanded.
One such area is power-system reliability and energy security. With increasing electrification and rising electricity demand from AI and data centers, both countries must build energy systems that are reliable, affordable and environmentally sustainable. Nuclear power, electricity grids, energy storage, and demand-side management offer opportunities for technical exchanges and mutual learning.
A second area is methane and other greenhouse gases. While some climate policies are politically contentious, practical technological cooperation in methane monitoring and mitigation is promising. Both countries have accumulated valuable experience in this field.
A third area is carbon capture, industrial efficiency and resource efficiency. Basic industries such as steel, cement and chemicals will continue through the energy transition. The challenge is to make these industries cleaner and more efficient. Projects that can be measured and verified may build more durable trust than political declarations.
Another possible area of cooperation is agriculture, ecological restoration and climate adaptation. Both countries face similar challenges, including droughts, floods, extreme weather and wildfires.
A broader lesson can be drawn from the increasingly polarized climate politics seen in parts of Europe and the US over the past decade. Extremes on both sides — climate radicalism and reactionism — can reduce complex issues to simplified political positions. Effective climate policy requires pragmatism and persistence, respect for science and economic realities, and the ability to sustain sensible policies over decades.
One summit cannot solve the climate change problem, just as China-US disagreements cannot be resolved in a single meeting. But the latest meeting between the two heads of state underscores the importance of communication, managing competition and finding areas of common interest even during challenging times.
When Sakolsky contributed $5,000 for Yin's efforts 26 years ago, there was no guarantee of success. Yet, the trees were planted and tended to, year after year. Who would have known that the outcome would be a flourishing success.
Similarly, China-US climate and energy cooperation requires consistent effort today. In an uncertain international environment, both countries could benefit from less ideological confrontation and more cooperation on concrete issues. There should be less argument about whose development model is better and more willingness to examine what the other side has accomplished and what can be learned from it.
Strategic stability does not mean the absence of challenges but ensuring that the trees worth nurturing can continue to grow through them.
The author is a research assistant at the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Source: China Daily
