Obama's New Energy Czar Might Benefit In Talks with China

An interesting chapter has unfolded itself as President Barack Obama nominated his new Energy Secretary last December 15. Meet Steven Chu: a Nobel-prize laureate and a second-generation Chinese immigrant.

The nomination sent a clear signal that the new administration plans to tap on Alternative Energy and Global Warming as the foremost project in Energy sector which Chu’s has extensive expertise in. It is also beneficial for the US to make new progress with China on certain difficult areas.

Chu has been a vocal advocate for research into alternative energy and nuclear power, arguing that a shift away from fossil fuels is essential to combat global warming.

Born in Missouri to a Chinese scholar family, Chu has developed a close tie with China throughout his career. He is a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and has trained several prominent scientists in China. He was also instrumental in establishing the Bio-X Center at Jiaotong University in Shanghai. Chu’s unique tie could benefit the US in future energy dialogs with China. So far, the US has not been able to make much progress with China in areas such as carbon caps.

Watch Steven Chu’s Youtube video here commenting on Citizen’s Briefing Book, a project that enables Americans to share their insight with President Obama on various issues. You can see Chu’s expertise in the field of global warming.