China and the Geopolitics of Hydrogen: An Awakening Giant?

Over the past decade, China has emerged as a pivotal player in the energy transition, leading the global deployment of renewable energy and assuming an increasingly dominant role in clean energy supply chains. In the hydrogen sector, it was not among the initial frontrunners and continues to take a cautious approach. While developments have started accelerating, these are still primarily driven by sub-national actors. Against this background, the chapter explores Chinese developments in the hydrogen sector from a geopolitical perspective. It begins with a brief overview of China’s broader energy foreign policy. This is followed by a review of its domestic hydrogen strategy and key developments in the Chinese hydrogen sector. Building on this, the paper provides an overview of China’s international hydrogen-related policy, including engagement in technology cooperation, supply chain development and international standard-setting and bilateral cooperation with key partners. It concludes with a synthesis of China’s emerging role within the nascent hydrogen economy. It highlights the country’s key assets and potentials as well as the main concerns and priorities of its evolving policy approach.