Overview

• California Governor Gavin Newsom is currently on a climate-focused tour of China, prompting criticism from human rights activists and Republicans due to lack of attention to human rights issues in China.
• His tour covers Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Jiangsu, including meetings with senior Chinese officials, marking his role as a global leader in climate change policy.
• Newsom's visit emphasizes collaboration on environmental efforts and sidesteps contentious areas such as human rights violations, drawing criticism from activists who argue climate change and human rights are interconnected.
• In China, despite tensions in U.S.-China relations, Newsom was greeted warmly by senior Chinese officials and expressed a commitment to climate cooperation, conveying positive sentiments towards future engagement.
• Newsom's China trip has drawn mixed reactions. While some see it as a necessary outreach for climate cooperation regardless of the U.S. presidential election outcome, others argue that his avoidance of discussing human rights violations aids Beijing's efforts to push these issues aside.