China joins the ISA in a surprise appearance by Beijing climate representative

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Credit: Flickr/Danny Howard.

China has joined the International solar Alliance (ISA) according to The Economic Times in India.

The latest union was announced during the recent UN climate change talks when Xie Zhenhua, China's delegation leader, praised India for leading the ISA.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Sources say that Xie made an unscheduled appearance at a session on the renewable energy market in India and was unexpectedly invited to join the programme.

A delegate participating in the programme said: “He is a senior leader in the climate process so when he came in, he was invited to speak.” 

ISA was launched by India and France ahead of the UN climate change conference in Paris 2015, China’s announcement is a victory for the deal as it is the largest manufacturer of renewable energy equipment globally.

India named China in the 121 countries for inclusion in the ISA; identifying it as a ‘prospective member'.

The majority of countries included in the ISA are emerging economies with limited and/or unreliable energy.

They are mostly located between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and all considered “sunshine countries”, that enjoy up to 300 days per year of sunshine. The ISA targets an opportunity for cost effectiveness and greater access to clean, affordable energy. 

21 October 2025
New York, USA
Returning for its 12th edition, Solar and Storage Finance USA Summit remains the annual event where decision-makers at the forefront of solar and storage projects across the United States and capital converge. Featuring the most active solar and storage transactors, join us for a packed two-days of deal-making, learning and networking.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

May 20, 2025
Solar PV additions have slowed down in the first quarter of 2025 in India, with 6.7GW, according to a report from Mercom India Research.
May 19, 2025
Premier Energies has partnered with Sino-American Silicon Products Inc to establish a 2GW per annum silicon wafer manufacturing facility in India.
May 16, 2025
Polysilicon prices have continued to decline slightly this week in China, while polysilicon companies initiated contract signings for moderate volumes.
May 16, 2025
Sungrow has signed a supply agreement with Indian independent power producer (IPP) Juniper Green Energy to provide 835MW of its inverters.
May 15, 2025
Indian solar module manufacturer Vikram Solar has signed a 326.6MW module supply agreement with Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited (GSECL) for the Khavda Solar park in Gujarat.
May 15, 2025
Solar manufacturer Canadian Solar recorded a slight increase in module shipments and endured losses in Q1 amid 'geopolitical complexities.'

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
May 21, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 8, 2025
Asia