Paris Marx is joined by Kate Mackenzie and Tim Sahay to discuss the geopolitics behind China’s investments in green tech and electrification, and how it presents the prospect of a new development model based on renewables instead of fossil fuels.

Kate Mackenzie is an adjunct fellow at Macquarie University. Tim Sahay is co-director of the Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab at Johns Hopkins University. They are the co-writers of the <a href="https://www.phenomenalworld.org/series/the-polycrisis/">Polycrisis newsletter</a> from Phenomenal World.

Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus">Patreon</a>.

The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson.

Also mentioned in this episode:
<ul>
 <li>
Tim and Kate wrote about the potential <a href="https://www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/brics-in-2025/">role of the BRICS</a> in future geopolitics.
</li>
 <li>
The Financial Times explored the implications of <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/f86782fa-9f2e-448a-b710-29e787dc9831">China as an electrostate</a>.
</li>
 <li>
China leads the growing electric vehicle market, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/ev-sales-china-iea-1.7535190">⁠by a lot⁠</a>.
</li>
 <li>
Pakistan imported <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/pakistan-solar-energy-panels-imports-china-b2732711.html">17 gigawatts of solar panels</a> in 2024 alone, as Africa is in the midst of <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/african-imports-of-chinese-solar-panels-increase/">its own surge</a> in Chinese solar panel imports.
</li>
 <li>
Trump’s policies are pushing China and India to <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/20/did-trumps-tariff-war-force-india-and-china-to-mend-ties">⁠strengthen ties⁠</a>.
</li>
</ul>

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