Opinion Pieces & Posts

“What California Gov. Gavin Newsom Could Learn from China’s Response to Climate Change,” LA Times, Oct. 12, 2023.

“Analyzing China: The Role of Empathy in Comparative Law,” Law & Political Economy Blog, May 4, 2023.

“The U.S. and China Aren’t Talking Climate. Should We Be Worried?” Barron’s, Aug. 27, 2022.

“Making Sense of the U.S.-China Joint Glasgow Declaration,” Legal-Planet.com, Nov. 11, 2021.

“Will China Get off Coal,” Chinafile, Nov. 8, 2021.

“Is China Doing Enough on Climate Change? COP26 Version,” Legal-Planet.com, Nov. 4, 2021.

“How Should the US Approach Climate Diplomacy with China?,” ChinaFile, Jul. 12, 2021.

“China’s new 2060 Carbon Neutrality Target,” Legal-Planet.com, Sept. 24, 2020.

“Next Steps in U.S.-China Environmental Cooperation,” Legal-Planet.com, Aug. 10, 2020.

“What Now?” Chinafile, Aug. 5, 2020.

“Green Stimulus?,” Legal-Planet.com, Apr. 22, 2020.

“Whither Climate Ambition,” Legal-Planet.com, Dec. 22, 2019.

“China’s Energy Transition,” Legal-Planet.com, Apr. 29, 2019.

“China in the Global Environment — Q&A with Isabel Hilton, Founder and CEO of chinadialogue.net,” Legal-Planet.com, Feb. 19, 2019.

“China at the Global Climate Action Summit,” Legal-Planet.com, Sept. 21, 2018.

“Are China’s Blue Skies Here to Stay?” Chinafile, Jan. 18, 2018.

“Making China Great Again,” Chinafile, Nov. 22, 2016 (w/ Ann Carlson).

“The Future of China’s Legal System,” Chinafile, Aug. 11, 2016.

“China and the Paris Agreement,” Legal-Planet.com, Dec. 13, 2015.

“Is China a Leader or a Laggard on Climate Change,” Chinafile, Dec. 9, 2015.

“On China’s Remarkable Viral Air Pollution Video,” Legal-Planet.com, Mar. 5, 2015.

“Why has This Environmental Documentary Gone Viral on China’s Internet?,” Chinafile, Mar. 3, 2015.

“More Thoughts on the US-China Climate Announcement,” Legal-Planet.com, Dec. 1, 2014.

“Why the China Climate Agreement May Succeed in Spite of the GOP?,” Talking Points Memo, Nov. 14, 2014 (w/ Ann Carlson) (cross posted to Chinafile.com and Chinadialogue.net).

“China’s Pollution Challenge,” New York Times, May 19, 2014 (w/ Benjamin van Rooij).

“How Responsible Are Americans for China’s Pollution Problem?,” Legal-Planet.com, Feb. 28, 2014.

“Energy Innovation and the Law @ UCLA,” Legal-Planet.com, Oct. 25, 2013.

“Air Pollution in China Shuts Down City of 11 Million,” Legal-Planet.com, Oct. 22, 2013.

“Why is China’s Smog Crisis Still Burning So Hot?,” Chinafile, Oct. 22, 2013.

“Food safety in China, or is that rat meat in my lamb?,” Legal-Planet.com, May 22, 2013.

“Airpocalypse Now? China’s Tipping Point,” Chinafile, Feb. 6, 2013.

“Chinese environmentalist Ma Jun an awardee of the 2012 Goldman Environmental Prize,” Legal-Planet.com, Apr. 16, 2012.

“China Vice-President Xi Jinping in America: some thoughts on US-China environmental collaboration,” Legal-Planet.com, Feb. 13, 2012.

“China’s Climate Change White Paper,” Legal-Planet.com, Nov. 20, 2011.

“Apple’s China Problem,” Legal-Planet.com, Oct. 3, 2011.

“Panel – Environmental Law in China: Implications for Bay Area Business (September 27, 2011),” Legal-Planet.com, Aug. 28, 2011.

“China and the Environment: Some Progress on Lead Pollution,” Legal-Planet.com, Aug. 5, 2011.

“Green Litigation in China Today,” China Dialogue, Jul. 18, 2011,

“New Documentary Follows the Struggle to Save China’s Environment,” Huffington Post, Aug. 12, 2022.

“What to Make of China's Efforts to Meet Its Energy Intensity Targets,” Huffington Post, Oct. 23, 2010.

“Obama In China: What Should Be Done to Build Confidence on U.S.-China Climate Action,” Huffington Post, Nov. 24, 2009.

“China, U.S. New Year Green Vows Need Action,” China Daily, Jan. 19, 2009 (w/ B. Finamore).

“Environmental Protection in China: The Role of Law,” China Dialogue, Feb. 5, 2007 (one of China Dialogue’s top 5 most read stories of 2007).

Selected Media Comments

Huizhong Wu, “California Governor’s Trip Shows US-China Engagement Is Still Possible on a State Level,” AP News, Oct. 28. 2023

Blanca Begert, et al. “Gavin Newsom’s Meeting with Chinese President Coul StrengthenU.S.- China Ties,” Politico, Oct. 26. 2023.

Sha Hua and Brian Spegele, “China’s Xi Welcomes Gavin Newsom in Beijing with Eye on U.S. Visit,” The Wall Street Journal, Oct. 26. 2023

Huizhong Wu, “California Gov. Newsom has surprise meeting with China’s leader Xi and Warm Welcome on Beijing,” AP News, Oct. 25. 2023.

“Newsom: Latest CA governor to visit China to talk climate,” KCRW Press Play withMadeline Brand, Oct. 24, 2023.

Laurel Rosenhall, “After Israel visit, Newsom heads to China for climate talks. But can he avoid global conflicts?” Politico, Oct. 23, 2023.

Jeremy B. White, “How Gavin Newsom became a climate change crusader,” Politico, Oct.23, 2023.

William Yang, “California Governor to Visit China Amid Efforts to Stabilize Bilateral Ties,” VOANews, Oct. 21, 2023.

Nadya Yeh, “China Drafts New Export Controls to Shore Up Solar Dominance,” The China Project, Feb. 1, 2023.

“President Biden First Face-to-Face Meeting with Chinese President Xi - What You Need to Know,” NPR, Airtalk w/ Larry Mantle, Nov. 14, 2022.

Lili Pike, “A Xi Jinping ‘Report Card’: Six Ways Xi’s Decade of Crackdowns and Campaigns has Changed China,” Grid, Oct. 14, 2022.

“China Briefing: Changes to energy targets; Xi’s coal directives; Analysis on ‘record high’ coal consumption,” Carbon Brief, Mar. 10, 2022.

“China Briefing: ‘Record-high’ coal output; Winter Olympics 2022; Xi’s new directives,” Carbon Brief, Jan. 20, 2022.

David Stanway, “China coal's last hurrah comes too late for old mining towns,” Reuters, Nov. 11, 2021.

Phelim Kine, “Special Edition: Biden-Xi Meeting Sparks Diplomacy Spree,” Politico, Nov. 16, 2021.

Tim McDonnell, “For China, COP26 is a Vital Marketing Opportunity,” Quartz, Oct. 12, 2021,

“China Gets a Chance to Showcase Global Climate Leadership,” Bloomberg News, Oct. 9, 2021.

“China Issues New “Single-Game” Instructions to Guide Its Climate Action,” Carbon Brief, Aug. 4 ,2021.

“美中气候领域合作也能竞争，活动人士担心拜登忽视人权问题 (U.S.-China Can Cooperate and Compete on Climate Change, Some Experts Are Concerned that Biden will Ignore Human Rights),” Voice of America Chinese, Apr. 23, 2021.

Eli Binder & Katrina Northrop, “The Climate Crusaders,” The Wire, Apr. 2021.

David Wainer and Will Wade, “U.S. Wants to Insulate Climate Talks from Tensions with China,” Bloomberg Businessweek, Mar. 4, 2021.

“All Change? US-China Climate Politics After the Election,” China Dialogue, Dec. 3, 2020.

Somini Sengupta, “Biden Wants to Be the Climate President. He’ll Need Some Help from Xi Jinping,” NY Times, Nov. 13, 2020.

David Wertime, “China just won the first U.S. presidential debate,” POLITICO China Watcher, Oct. 1, 2020.

Jessica Chen Weiss, “Can the U.S. Sue China for COVID-19 Damages? Not Really,” Washington Post, Apr. 29, 2020.

Rosie Perper, “China is Injecting Millions into WHO as the US Cuts Funds. Experts Say Beijing is Trying to Boost its Influence over the Agency and its ‘Deeply Compromised' chief,” Business Insider, Apr. 24, 2020. 

“Alex Wang on Where China Leads and Lags in Climate Change,” Sinica Podcast, Mar. 5, 2020.

Bernard Mendez, “UCLA Faculty Mitigate Misinformation about Coronavirus in Campus Event,” Daily Bruin, Feb. 11, 2020.

“China Wants Activists to Stay Out of Its War on Pollution,” Bloomberg News, Jan. 22, 2020.

Lili Pike, “China Dashes Hopes of Raising its Climate Ambition at UN Climate Summit,” Chinadialogue, Sept. 24, 2019.

Matt Peterson, “China’s New Environmental Story,” The Atlantic, Dec. 17, 2018, (podcast – The Masthead).

Austin Ramzy, “Does Praise for China Make Group a ‘Foreign Agent’? Republicans Say it Might,” NY Times, Jun. 7, 2018.

Li Jing, “What Caused China’s Squeeze on Natural Gas?” The Diplomat, Jan. 1, 2018.

Z. Aleem, “Trump Pulling Out of the Paris Agreement is Great News… for China,” Vox, Jun. 3, 2017.

E. Wong, “Can China Take the Lead on Climate Change? That Could be Difficult,” New York Times, Jun. 2, 2017.

B. Haas, “China Sees an Opportunity to Lead as Trump Withdraws from Paris. But will It?,” The Guardian, Jun. 2, 2017.

“Trump: I was Elected to Represent the Citizens of Pittsburgh,” BBC World Service: Newsday, Jun. 1, 2017.

E. Wong, “China Poised to Take Lead on Climate After Trump’s Move to Undo Policies,” New York Times, Mar. 29, 2017.

M. Holtz, “China Embraces Public Activists – in Battling Pollution,” The Christian Science Monitor, Mar. 17, 2017.

N. VanderKlippe, “Tensions Rising as Chinese No Longer Willing to Hold Their Breath on Pollution Problems,” The Globe and Mail, May 24, 2017.

E. Wong, “China to Plant ‘Green Necklace’ of Trees Around Beijing to Fight Smog,” New York Times, Mar. 23, 2017.

R. Willis, “China’s Struggle to Turn the Corner on Coal,” Huffington Post, Feb. 9, 2017.

David Stanway, “China’s Name and Shame Campaign Fails to Deter Polluters,” Reuters, Dec. 23, 2016.

Interview w/ John Vause, “Making China Great Again,” CNN Int’l, Dec. 12, 2016.

D. Nuccitelli, “On Climate Change, Angels and Demons are Battling Over Trump’s Soul,” The Guardian, Dec. 12, 2016.

E. Wong, “Chinese Court Says Environmental Agency Gave Polluter Lax Punishment,” New York Times, Jun. 21, 2016.

R. Verger, “China’s Environment Minister Wants More Power to Crack Down on Polluters,” Vice, Feb. 18, 2016.

D. Stanway & K. Chen, “False Emissions Reporting Undermines China’s Pollution Fight,” Reuters, Jan. 17, 2016

E. Hershaw, “Here are the Ways People Cope with China’s Dirty Air,” Vice, Dec. 23, 2015.

P. Ford, “China Climate: Environmentalists Wield New Legal Tool Against Despoilers,” The Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 12, 2015.

E. Wong, “Polluted Skies Heighten Challenge for Chinese Government,” New York Times, Dec. 10, 2015.

L. Shekhtman, “Beijing Smog: What Makes Some Cities Cleaner than Others?,” The Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 8, 2015.

R. Schmitz, “China to Unveil Cap-and-Trade Program to Cut Emissions,” Marketplace, Sept. 25, 2015.

“An LA Climate Conference with China,” KCRW Which Way, LA?, Sept. 15, 2015.

A. Harney, “Tensions Boil Over at Landmark China Pollution Trial,” Reuters, Jun. 12, 2015.

E. Wong, “Fines Total $26 Million for Polluters in China,” New York Times, Dec. 31, 2014.

E. Wong, “Q. & A.: Ann E. Carlson and Alex Wang on the U.S.-China Climate Accord,” New York Times, Nov. 28, 2014,

P. Welitzkin & L. Lan, “US, China Push Climate Change onto Front Burner,” China Daily, Nov. 26, 2014.

C.W. Yap & B. Spegele, “China’s Environmental Goals Won’t Be Hard to Hit,” Wall Street Journal, Nov. 12, 2014.

A. Olesen, “Why is China Downplaying the Supposedly Huge Climate Change Deal?,” Foreign Policy, Nov. 12, 2014.

“Climate Change Plan Sets Ambitious Goals for US, China,” KPCC Take Two, Nov. 12, 2014,

“李克强：把良好生态环境作为公共产品向全民提供 [Li Keqiang: Treat a Good Eco-Environment as a Public Good to Provided for All],” Cankao Xiaoxi, Jul. 13, 2014.

“24 Hours of Reality: Field Report – China’s Wind Quest,” The Climate Reality Project.

“Climate Activism,” BrianLehrer.tv, June 30, 2014.

A. Olesen, “Do Chinese NIMBY Protests Actually Work?,” Foreign Policy, May 13, 2014.

S.L. Wee & D. Stanway, “China Set to Elevate Environment Over Development in New Law,” Reuters, Apr. 14, 2014.

S. Leavenworth, “Chinese Officials Reportedly Shut Some Businesses as Pollution Soars,” McClatchy DC, Feb. 24, 2014.

D. Stanway, “China Considers New Powers for Pollution Watchdog as Part of Government Shakeup,” Reuters, Feb. 10, 2014.

E. Wong, “China Exports Pollution to U.S., Study Finds,” New York Times, Jan. 20, 2014.

E. Wong, “Response to a City’s Smog Points to a Change in Chinese Attitude,” New York Times, Oct. 24, 2013.

“Environmental Law in China with Alex Wang,” National Committee on US-China Relations Podcast, Oct. 2, 2013.

J. Chin & B. Spegele, “China’s Bad Earth,” Wall Street Journal, Jul. 27, 2013.

E. Wong, “Pollution Leads to Drop in Life Span in Northern China, Research Finds,” New York Times, Jul. 8, 2013.

E. Wong, “Poultry Plant in Deadly Fire Won Plaudits from Chinese,” New York Times, Jun. 4, 2013.

W. Yu, “California Offers Help to Fight Climate Change,” China Daily, Apr. 17, 2013.

“A New Way for the Middle Kingdom? Political Legitimacy and Environmental Protection in China,” Sense and Sustainability, Podcast, Apr. 5, 2013.

D. Stanway, “Insight: China’s Losing Battle Against State-Backed Polluters,” Reuters, Apr. 1, 2013.

J. Kaiman, “China’s Air Pollution Results from Unchecked Government: Former Official,” The Guardian, Jan. 22, 2013.

L. Lim, “Beijing ‘Airpocalypse’ Spurs Pollution Controls, Public Pressure,” NPR, Jan. 14, 2013.

R. Schmitz, “Dangerous Air Levels Hit Beijing,” Marketplace, Jan. 14, 2013.

N. Gilbert, “Green Protests on the Rise in China,” Nature, Aug. 14, 2012.

C. MacLeod, “China’s Rapid Industrialization Fuels More Public Protest,” USA Today, Jul. 30, 2012.

R. Schmitz, “China to Ask for Environmental Funding at Rio Summit,” Marketplace, Jun. 15, 2012.

C. Larson, “The New Epicenter of China’s Discontent,” Foreign Policy, Aug. 23, 2011.

J. Kaimen, “China Seeks to Stem Bohai Sea Oil Spills,” Los Angeles Times, Jul. 14, 2011.

E. Wong, “Stalwarts in China’s Water Struggle,” New York Times, Jun. 2, 2011.

C. Larson, “In China, a New Transparency on Gov’t Pollution Data,” Yale e360, Dec. 20, 2010.

J. Metz, “For China’s Env’t, a Climate Suitable for Change,” ABC World News, Nov. 15, 2010.

J. Fallows, “What Really Happened in Copenhagen, #2,” The Atlantic, Jan. 9, 2010.

J. Fu & J. Li, “‘Constructive’ Role at Copenhagen,” China Daily, Dec. 28, 2009.

A. Jacobs, “Chinese and British Officials Tangle in Testy Exchange Over Climate Agreement,” New York Times, Dec. 22, 2009.

E. Osnos, “Q & A: Copenhagen and China,” The New Yorker – Letter from China, Dec. 18, 2009.

J. Watts, “China Moves to Meet U.S. Demand for Transparency on Carbon Emissions,” The Guardian, Dec. 17, 2009.

S. Tong, “China, U.S. at Odds Over Cutting Carbon,” Marketplace, Dec. 16, 2009.

J. Tankersley, “Enforcement of Nations' Reduction Promises is an Obstacle at Climate Talks,” Los Angeles Times, Dec. 11, 2009.

J. Shieber, “Courting Change: Environmental Groups in China Now Have the Ability to Sue Polluters. But Will They?,” Wall Street Journal, Dec. 7, 2009.

“Dialogue with Alex Wang, Senior Attorney of NRDC,” Global Times, Dec. 3, 2009,

Guest (w/ Ma Jun), Dialogue (TV talk show), CCTV International, Aug. 23, 2009.

S. Tong, “Lead Poisoning Hits China’s Children?,” Marketplace, Aug. 21, 2009.

“China Accepts First Environment Lawsuit Against the Government,” AP, Jul. 31, 2009.

D. Lawrence, “China’s ‘Green’ Goals Seen Slipping in Stimulus Plan,” Bloomberg, Mar. 16, 2009.

M. Magnier, “Clearing Beijing’s Air, Roads,” Los Angeles Times, Jul. 21, 2008.

M. Norris, “Beijing Looks to ‘Green’ Buildings to Cut Emissions,” NPR, Apr. 14, 2008.

H. Sanderson, “China Environment Agency Gets More Power,” AP, Feb. 29, 2008.

E. Ratliff, “China’s Syndrome,” Discover, Dec. 12, 2007.

Video interviewee, “Choking on Growth: The Real Cost,” New York Times, Aug. 26, 2007.100323

“SEPA Calls for More Public Involvement,” China Daily, Jun. 22, 2007,

Guest (w/ Ma Jun), Dialogue (TV talk show), CCTV International, Mar. 22, 2007.

Guest, BizChina (TV news program), CCTV International, March 14, 2007.

E. Osnos, “As Economy Booms, a Rising Voice for Environment,” Chicago Tribune, Jan. 21, 2007,

B. Walsh, “Visions of Green,” Time, Oct. 2, 2006 (cover story).