Commentary China is not like other countries. Its model, under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is to expand its power and control both vertically and horizontally—that is, in both territorial space and the control of the individual’s actions within that space. This requires maximizing Beijing’s control relative to other countries, including through negotiations over climate issues. Unlike those that attended November’s COP26 climate negotiations in Glasgow, Beijing strives to beat other countries, not just solve the problem of global warming. It hopes that by skipping negotiations, other countries, subject to greater electoral pressures because they are democracies, will agree to the necessary carbon reductions without China accepting significant reductions. That would increase China’s economic power relative to democracies, aiding Beijing’s short-term goal of military dominance in Asia, and long-term goal of global hegemony. For its bare-knuckle power politics of today, the CCP adeptly finds historical justifications. While China is the …