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This paper examines alternative hypotheses of beta convergence for different measures of energy efficiency. We collect a novel set of prefecture-level data that substantially extend the breadth of the datasets ever used in this literature. GMM estimators are then used to empirically test the national and club convergence of energy efficiency among these prefectures. We find strong evidence for prefecture-level national and club convergence in energy efficiency. In particular, the listed key environmental protection (KEP) prefectures, prefectures in central and western regions and prefectures not listed as resource-based (RB) converge faster than the non-KEP prefectures, prefectures in eastern region and RB prefectures. Sensitivity analyses suggest that these results are robust to alternative measures of energy efficiency and GMM specifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editors discuss various papers within the issue on topics including influence of China's economic policies on Latin America, China's outward direct investment and China's international economic cooperation.

Current China- Africa relations have been statically framed: China invests in the continent and exports resources extracted by its state-owned enterprises and fuelled by aid flows, while simultaneously undercutting African industry through cheap exports. We frame this debate, then explore how the framework could adjust in response to changing economic realities in China, centered on the 'rebalancing' of the growth model toward domestic consumption. We argue that a new wave of private sector-led, low-cost manufacturers may find its way to selected African shores, in the process transforming those economies and the way in which China interacts with them, both for the better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on a paper by M. Davies and others which discusses the influence of China's economic policies on the foreign economic relationship between China and Africa. Topics discussed include challenges faced by China in managing special economic zones, analysis of surveys by United Nations Industrial Development Organization on average wages of the manufacturing sector in Sub-Saharan African countries, and influence of agricultural development on sustainable development in Africa.

The author reflects on a paper by M. Davies and colleagues discussing the influence of China's economic policies and decline of state-owned enterprises on the economic relationship between China and Africa. Topics discussed include economic implications of China's outward foreign direct investment, role of African countries in strengthening their policies related to special economic zones and infrastructure, and China's foreign aid to Zambia's copper mining industry.

This synthesis article reviews China's efforts and effects concerning low-carbon green growth (LCGG) and explores the policy implications of reformulating the country's LCGG strategy. The article first reviews China's efforts in four major areas – carbon mitigation, market construction, fostering green industries, and managing the negative effects of LCGG – and then reviews China's LCGG effects with respect to the growth effect and the low-carbon effect. The results show that the increasingly stringent low-carbon policy has not diminished the country's economic growth as some had expected. Rather, the policy has fostered green industries and brought impressive quality improvements, including structural change and increased employment. Although the efforts and effects in China are impressive, the global emissions reduction is far from sufficient to achieve the global climate change target. To solve the problem of global climate change and seize the opportunity of green growth, China must reformulate its LCGG strategy, not just enhancing its existing LCGG efforts, but more importantly, rethinking the purpose of development and shifting its development paradigm from one that is highly gross domestic product (GDP)-oriented to one that is well-being-oriented. Policy relevance China must reformulate its LCGG strategy on two levels. First, China must enhance its existing efforts. Second, China should learn lessons from the industrial countries and reformulate its development model to one that is well-being-oriented to establish a more forward-looking green growth model in the new context of the Internet era. The time is now ripe for China to make a strategic transition. The 13th Five-Year Plan (FYP, 2016 to 2020) provides an opportunity for a more fundamental change in LCGG strategy. If China could succeed in exploring LCGG, it would make a significant contribution to the whole world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]