As passengers travel through the sleek electric buses of Montevideo, Uruguay, they may not realize the Chinese origin of these vehicles. A small window sticker with the name BYD, a Chinese manufacturer, is the only hint. When asked about their thoughts on the bus being Chinese-made, passengers seem puzzled. They see the new electric buses as a significant improvement over the noisy and polluting gas-guzzlers they used to ride. In fact, the bus operator has recently placed an order for 200 more buses. Similar electric buses can be seen gliding through other Latin American cities.
On the other side of the world, in the United States, there is growing concern about Latin America’s increasing reliance on Chinese green technology, including electric buses, solar panels and batteries. The rapid adoption of these technologies has been crucial in the fight against climate change and has also proven to be highly profitable. In 2022, announced foreign direct investment in renewable energy worldwide surpassed $350 billion making it the most invested-in sector of that year and possibly of the last few decades.
As tensions rise between China and US Green technology has become a new battleground in their rivalry. The competition for dominance in this sector is fierce and both countries are vying for global leadership as we grapple with urgent need to transition to more sustainable environmentally friendly future.
