The governor of California, Democrat Gavin Newsom, began his week-long trip to China with a pledge to continue partnering on climate issues irrespective of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. This visit comes at a time of strained U.S.-Chinese relations due to trade disputes, Taiwan, and human rights concerns. Newsom focuses on reinforcing California’s role as a global leader on climate change, starting with a climate-themed discussion at the University of Hong Kong. He emphasized that the audience can rely on California and dismissed claims that the United States is an unreliable ally.
Despite the tensions between the two countries, climate change remains an area where collaboration is seen as possible and necessary. Both China and the U.S. have re-engaged in preparation for the upcoming U.N. climate change conference. Newsom expressed his intention to build upon the long-standing partnerships between China and the U.S. on climate change.
At the event’s opening, Li Yongsheng, deputy commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry in Hong Kong, expressed optimism about the positive signs of rebounding China-U.S. relations, predicting a productive visit by Newsom. Other attendees included U.S. consul general in Hong Kong, Gregory May, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Eden Woon, and Hong Kong’s former secretary for justice, Elsie Leung.
However, Newsom’s trip to China has raised concerns among 60 advocacy groups and non-governmental organizations. They released a joint statement expressing disappointment and characterizing the governor’s visit as a turning away from engaging on critical human rights issues. When asked about the tradeoff between progress on climate matters and human rights issues, Newsom denied that there was a tradeoff and expressed confidence in being able to address multiple issues simultaneously.
After his visit to Hong Kong, Newsom will travel to Beijing, Shanghai, and the provinces of Guangdong and Jiangsu. His agenda includes visiting the first Chinese city with an all-electric bus fleet, touring an offshore wind facility, and seeing Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory. He will also sign agreements with provincial leaders to establish mutual commitments on climate goals. Additionally, Newsom will engage in conversations related to “strengthening cultural ties and combating xenophobia,” as well as promoting economic development and tourism.
California governors have a history of climate collaboration with China. Newsom’s predecessors, Democrat Jerry Brown and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, also visited China to exchange knowledge on reducing air pollution and emissions. Since leaving office, Jerry Brown has launched the California-China Climate Institute at the University of California–Berkeley.
The content was written by Kanis Leung.