If China were serious about reducing emissions, that intent would have been evident from its new five-year plan for the years 2021-2025, released in March. This plan, however, has been described as containing "little more than vague commitments to tackle carbon dioxide emissions."
As the
Wall Street Journal wrote in an editorial in February, initiatives like this explain why "Beijing loves Biden and Paris". They allow China, in the words of the editorial, to get "a free carbon ride" -- meaning unfettered economic growth at a time when China is looking to become the world's dominant economic and technological power.