Much of the energy increase in China was derived from new manufacturing (although by no means all). Since a lot of that manufacturing output is shipped elsewhere, the net increase of energy consumption is far less than it appears.

It always gets my attention.

I think what you're looking at in that left-right split is aging or age-stable populations with built out infrastructures on the right, and on the left, younger populations with a median age in the family-making range and national infrastructure being built out or revamped. Though, it's not as if there aren't exceptions to that idea, as with Hong Kong and Singapore.

China, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan share the distinction of having the only precipitous drop in CO2 intensity per economic output from 1980 to 2008. Measured in kg CO2 per 2005 $ PPP, China fell from 2.854 kg CO2 in 1980 to .929 in 2008.

During that time the US fell from .815 to .415 kg CO2 per 2005 $ PPP. As a stand-in for the EU, Germany went from .445 in 1991 to .283 in 2008.

So as not to loose sight of who's screwing the pooch with the most enthusiasm, here are a few waypoints in per capita energy consumption in 2010 kg oil equivalent and CO2 in 2009 metric tons CO2 per capita:

Brazil: 1,363 kg o.eq. 1.9 metric tons CO2 per capita
China: 1,807 kg o.eq. 5.8 metric tons CO2 per capita
Germany: 4,003 kg o.eq. 9.0 metric tons CO2 per capita
Russian Fed.: 4,927 kg o.eq. 11.1 metric tons CO2 per capita
USA: 7,164 kg o.eq. 17.3 metric tons CO2 per capita

Another point, the trade balance and energy use connection may satisfy any number of political narratives, but it's not in the numbers. Since 2002, China has shifted away from energy intensive exports, largely because of lack of supply and growing domestic use, as well as the realization that foreign investment was more lucrative and could lead to higher GDP growth than manufacturing for export.

In other words, cheap labor for assembly is not necessarily energy intensive, but a 40 mile suburban commute certainly is.

Your point about China's exports is very interesting. Thanks!