China: Trade and the Environment

US Trade With China

Positives of Trade With China

• Environmental Positive

Trading with the US has helped China’s environment in some ways. China is taking steps to become more environmentally friendly. They have had environmental protection laws since 1979. It has reduced its energy intensity, which means it is reducing the amount of CO2 emitted. They are replacing coal with oil and natural gas. Trade with the World Trade Organization (WTO) has helped. This gave them more access to pollution control technology. The WTO agreement opens China up to more sanitary sewage management services. The increase in trade has also increased the economy which has helped increase environmental regulations because there are more resources for enforcement and people demand a clean environment. American companies can now invest in China and help bring best management practices to the workplace. This sets a good example for other Chinese companies. China also relies heavily on foreign partners for technological advances. Trade between China and the US has helped increase pollution standards in China. For example, the US implements higher fuel-efficiency standards and China has to make their cars pass these standards if it wants to sell them in the US. Trade with China helps the US have more control over China’s environmental policies by creating internationally recognized standards for protecting human health, the environment, and energy conservation. If the US invents cleaner technologies they can transfer them to China very easily. The US EPA is also working with China’s State Environmental Protection Administration to reduce mobile-source emissions. They also have plans to work on fuel quality, emission control, diesel retrofits.

• Economic Positives

Negatives of Trade With China

• Environmental Negatives
• Economic Negatives