China possesses 20% of the world’s population but only 7% of its fresh water.
A decade ago, China became the world’s largest importer of agricultural goods. Its arable land has been shrinking due to degradation and overuse.
Breakneck development has also made China the world’s largest energy importer: It buys three-quarters of its oil abroad at a time when America has become a net energy exporter.
China’s water situation is particularly grim
Much of China’s fresh water is concentrated in areas, such as Tibet
A growing source of tension in the Himalayas is China’s plan to dam key waters before they reach India, leaving that country (and Bangladesh) the losers.
Hal Brands 29 december 2021
Hal Brands is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, the Henry Kissinger Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, and a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute
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