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Global cities have already entered the circle of key actors of international politics and world industry. As the focus of global connectivity routes, international trade and soft power has encountered a considerable shift to Asia-Pacific region, the number of global cities in this region has also increased, along with the concentration of industry and the population growth. While the economy of the People's Republic of China remains the fastest growing in the world, more and more Chinese cities reach the level of global city, gain new opportunities and face new challenges. The environmental problems, that the Chinese cities face, are well-researched in urban and area studies. However, it is also essential to match the newest theoretical approaches to this matter (those put forward both by the official authorities and by the academic circles) and the realization of environmental policies by the government. The aim of this paper is to discuss the environmental problems, that Chinese global cities experience, and to analyse, what theoretical approaches and state policies have been put forward in China to deal with these challenges, and how they correlate with the recent practical innovations in this field. The authors conclude that theoretical solutions and practice differ dramatically, as in spite of positive thinking and prominent ideas their implementation experiences considerable setbacks due to mindset conflict and lack of law abidance among citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]