[toomuchtodo]

China is building so fast it won’t matter. They destroy 1M barrels a day in global oil consumption for every 24 months they build EVs at current production rates (which continue to increase), for example. ~25% of global light vehicle sales are EVs as of 2025, ~50% in China (the largest auto global auto market). The world is approaching 1TW/year of global solar PV deployment. Solar and storage are the cheapest form of generation, and will only continue to decline in cost.

Consider it a case study in governance failure. The US' failure is China's opportunity, and they appear to be taking it.

Ember Energy: China Cleantech Exports Data Explorer - https://ember-energy.org/data/china-cleantech-exports-data-e... - (updated monthly)

Our World In Data: Tracking global data on electric vehicles - https://ourworldindata.org/electric-car-sales (updated annually)

Bloomberg: China’s Four-Year Energy Spree Has Eclipsed Entire US Power Grid - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-28/china-s-f... | https://archive.today/H0oos - January 28th, 2026

Ember Energy: The EV leapfrog – how emerging markets are driving a global EV boom - https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/the-ev-leapfrog-how... - December 16th, 2025

Ember Energy: Over a quarter of new cars sold so far this year are electric as emerging markets reshape the global EV race - https://ember-energy.org/latest-updates/over-a-quarter-of-ne... - December 16th, 2025

Ember Energy: Solar electricity every hour of every day is here and it changes everything - https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/solar-electricity-e... - June 21st, 2025

Bloomberg: The World Hit ‘Peak’ Gas-Powered Vehicle Sales — in 2017 - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-30/world-hit... | https://archive.today/p2hl1 - January 30th, 2024

Bloomberg: Electric Cars Pass a Crucial Tipping Point in 23 Countries - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-28/electric-... | https://archive.today/e8XSt - August 27th, 2023

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46544375 (citations)

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46423660 (citations)

[yakikka]

I hope you are right but China needs to block the US' influence on international policy. Its strange to see countries adopt policies in a direction the US has obviously chosen to screw everyone else instead of going so far into free trade the US can't stay relevant.

[toomuchtodo]

Certainly, diplomacy is the art of saying "good dog" until you make it to the rock [to throw at the dog] as the saying goes. Counterparties are still headed towards the rock. Once they have sufficiently decoupled from the US, their policy and destiny are in their hands. Easier to say no to a bully when you're beyond their reach and the harm they can cause is immaterial.

Global Trade Is Leaving the US Behind - https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-02-12/on-tra... | https://archive.today/CFwlf - February 12th, 2026

(no dogs were harmed in the course of this comment)