Earlier this month, China surpassed Japan as the world's second largest economy and since, has snared a flurry of clean tech headlines that collectively tell a very clear story: China is rapidly and effectively securing its position as a global clean technology leader as the U.S. watches in stagnated wonder.

Below we've aggregated some of the most important updates coming out of China over recent weeks as it surges to the front of the global clean technology sector:

Energy Investment Showmanship to the Tune of $740 billion

Just hours after cap and trade failed in the Senate in late July, China announced a ten-year energy plan to invest $740 billion (5 trillion yuan) in clean energy. Details on the plan remain limited, but its implications are huge for China's dominance in the clean tech sector.

In Pursuit of Flight On Land

In early August, China announced the record-breaking development of a Maglev train that can travel approximately 620 kph and could one-day travel as fast 1,000 kph, the same speed as a Boeing 747. (H/t to American for Energy Leadership)

The Iron Hand of Energy Efficiency Goals

Earlier this month, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao ordered the shut-down of more than 2000 energy intensive factories in an effort to meet the country's ambitious goal of being 20% less energy intense this year than in 2005.

However, a news report by Reuters cast doubt on the impact of the new policy, since a number of firms on the government's list had already shuttered the offending facilities, or had replaced them with even bigger ones.

U.S. Clean Tech Looks for Chinese Investment

First, U.S. VC's turned to China for prime investment opportunities, now U.S. clean tech companies are hoping to attract some of China's investment funds.

China Raises the Bar on Electric Vehicle Standards

In an effort to hasten commercialization of electric vehicles, the Chinese government has organized a new consortium of state-owned automakers and related manufacturers designed to improve standards for electric vehicles and offer the Chinese government more control over electric vehicle development. A major goal of the new group is to accelerate electric vehicle technology innovation through coordinated research efforts.

Investing to Tackle Electric Vehicle Market

In mid-August, China announced plans to invest nearly $15 billion to develop electric vehicles over the next few years, "which if true would make it one of the world's most ambitious attempts to develop more energy-efficient vehicles."
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Stay tuned for continued coverage as we track China's clean technology progress, as well as other rising clean tech tigers, for our forthcoming update to "Rising Tigers, Sleeping Giant."