...If for no other reason than enlightened self interest.
When you are talking about how the world's most populated nation is losing ground to desertification at the rate indicated here, the rest of the world, and us in particular, needs to take notice. And we must do this for more than the obvious reason that it is another indication of climate change.
Just consider: If you think displaced peoples from coast lines via rising sea levels is going to be a problem, consider what will happen if more than nearly a billion and a half people start getting crowded in an ever shrinking living space. And if you think China is acting more reactionary as regards to resources now, just wait.
What is especially worrying in this is that we will fall to the usual confrontational response to what will result from this challenges to China. And we will do this simply because it has become so reflexive.
What is need here, instead, is to see this as a way to engage with China; not in some smug form of superiority, but as equals trying to work partnerships in solving shared problems. And in this I can think of nothing better than an energy development program that would result in a fuel whose consumption would create useable water; as in hydrogen.
Producing liquid hydrogen at sea, and sharing in the output would be a very direct, and practical way of starting the process of replacing suspicion and mistrust inherent in an adversarial relationship concerning resources. And make no mistake. If we don't start looking for, and implementing, creative programs that seek to lessen that adversarial relationship, we risk lighting the world up with a kind of climate change that includes mushroom clouds.
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