Miliband refuses to publish details of green energy deal with China

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has declined to release the full text of a net zero cooperation agreement signed with China in March 2025, raising concerns about transparency. During his visit, Miliband committed to closer collaboration on green energy, including “power grids, battery storage, offshore wind power, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage,” according to Chinese media.

The memorandum, described by UK officials as a step toward “pragmatic engagement on the climate crisis,” remains undisclosed, unlike similar agreements with Canada, Norway, and others.Miliband’s trip, the first by a UK energy minister to China since 2017, included meetings with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and Environment Minister Huang Runqiu, as well as tours of carbon capture facilities. Ofgem chief Jonathan Brearley extended the visit, holding further talks with Beijing officials.

The lack of disclosure has sparked criticism, with shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho calling it “deeply concerning” amid warnings from intelligence services about Chinese state-sponsored hacking risks to Western energy systems. “Miliband must come clean about exactly what he signed up to,” Coutinho said.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero insists the agreement focuses on research sharing, not Chinese investment in UK infrastructure.