China plays pivotal role in enhancing clean energy capacity worldwide: IRENA chief

China plays a pivotal role in boosting clean energy capacity around the world, said the head of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) during an interview in Beijing.

On Monday, the State Grid Corporation hosted the 2025 International Forum on Energy and Power Transition in Beijing, centered on the theme "Accelerating Energy Transition with New Power Systems."

The event highlighted key technologies such as flexible DC grid connections for offshore wind power and advanced grid control systems designed to stabilize grids with high renewable energy penetration.

According to the latest report from IRENA, China alone accounted for 64 percent of the global increase in renewable energy capacity in 2024.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Francesco La Camera, the director-general of IRENA commended China's role in boosting clean energy capacity domestically and internationally.

"China plays a double role. One is domestically, with raising installed capacity of renewables. Last year, worldwide, I think 60 percent of the other renewable capacity was coming from China. The scale of renewables domestically is [unprecedented]. The other aspect is China has been able to provide the world with technology, with low carbon, low price for the [solar] panels for example," he said.

The IRENA chief also highlighted that the international community is working together to push ahead with efforts to lift clean energy capacity to contribute to low-carbon development.

"It's amazing to see the progress. Every year, a new record of renewable installed capacity. Last year, 94 percent of power capacity installed was renewables. We see what China is doing to have more renewables into a new system, with interconnectivity among the grids, ensuring the flexibility and the balancing. This applies for every energy system in the world. So, this three areas has to be overcome, especially in areas like Africa and Southeast Asia, where the population and energy demand will be increasing faster in the years to come. So, it's important, especially the multilateral system may rewrite the way international cooperation works," he said.

China plays pivotal role in enhancing clean energy capacity worldwide: IRENA chief

At least 89 people were killed and about 200 others injured over the past two days in escalating clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes in southern Syria's Sweida province, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Syrian defense authority, in a statement carried by the state-run SANA news agency, put the death toll at more than 30 and the injuries at some 100.

Attributing the escalating clashes to a breakdown of institutional control, the Syrian defense authority stated that specialized military units had been deployed to separate the warring factions and secure evacuation routes for civilians. The defense authority urged restraint, warned that continued fighting would only deepen civilian suffering, and affirmed its commitment to restoring stability through coordinated operations with interior forces.

Footage shared by China Global Television Network (CGTN) showed armed fighters clashing late Monday in Sweida, with fierce exchanges of fire between the conflicting parties.

The root of the conflict lies in an earlier incident where a young Druze man was assaulted and robbed by armed Bedouins at a temporary checkpoint near al-Masmiyah. In retaliation, local Druze fighters detained several Bedouin members, escalating the situation.

89 killed in escalating Druze-Bedouin clashes in Syria's Sweida: war monitor