China has great potential for overdelivering on its climate pledge by 2035, as the country accelerates efforts to advance green transformation, said Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
In an interview with China Media Group in Beijing on Oct 16, Andersen said that China's pledge to reduce economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent to 10 percent from peak levels by 2035 is significant.
She was commenting on an major announcement by President Xi Jinping in his video remarks to the United Nations Climate Summit held in New York last month.
In addition to the 7-10 percent cut, China also promised to increase the share of non-fossil fuels to over 30 percent of total energy use by 2035, expand wind and solar capacity to 3,600 gigawatts to over six times 2020 levels, and strengthen its national emissions trading market to support reductions.
"This is very significant. It's really well regarded to see China making these enormous pushes forward on renewable energy. We are seeing newly built gigawattage going online every year in terms of renewable -- solar and wind -- around 200 to 300 gigawatts. It's mind-boggling in terms of the installed capacity. Now we still have a heavy coal load in China, so, that's the reality. But with that striving towards reaching 60 percent of the capacity being renewable, that's massive," she said.
Andersen said as China has been increasing the share of renewables in its energy consumption at an accelerating pace, she believes the country will overdeliver on its 2035 climate pledge.
"In September at the [UN] General Assembly in New York, we saw live video where the president, Xi Jinping, made the announcement of 7 to 10 percent reduction [in economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions] by 2035 and striving to do even better. And the reality is that China is already doing better, so probably, it will be overdelivering on that promise. Because we can see that the cadence by which, the speed with which renewable is being installed is very fast," she said.
UN environment official holds high expectations for China's 2035 climate pledge
UN environment official holds high expectations for China's 2035 climate pledge
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
