Chinese companies are increasing operations across Southeast Asia in mining and processing sectors that pose risks to rivers, air quality, and local communities. The expansion is partly driven by stricter rules and excess capacity in China and by cheaper labor, weaker enforcement, and resource-rich landscapes in neighboring countries. Beijing also finances clean-energy projects in the region, but those investments are often overshadowed by involvement in highly polluting industries. The trend has prompted protests and strikes at Chinese-run nickel plants in Indonesia and led Jakarta to sanction companies for environmental violations at the Morowali Industrial Park.
From nickel processing plants in Indonesia to rare earth mines in Myanmar, Chinese companies are expanding operations in sectors that environmentalists warn could have severe long-term consequences for rivers, air quality, and local communities. The shift is driven partly by stricter rules and excess industrial capacity in China, as well as by the lure of cheaper labor, weaker environmental enforcement, and resource-rich landscapes in neighboring countries.
The result is a complicated picture: Chinese capital is helping to build solar farms and hydropower dams, but also fueling environmental disputes, health risks, and rising political tensions. It's also putting the spotlight on whether Southeast Asian governments are as committed to protecting the environment as they say. "The reality is that most governments care more about economic development than they do environmental sustainability;
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