DW | 23 August 2025 — 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.
While Beijing has become Southeast Asia’s biggest financier of clean energy, analysts say its green investments are often overshadowed by its involvement in some of the region’s most polluting industries.
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.
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