The paper examines the scale and objectives of participation of China and Chinese companies in international voluntary carbon markets, as well as the experience and prospects for the development of national and regional emissions trading systems. It shows the relationship between voluntary carbon markets and the national emissions trading system of the PRC. The author concludes that voluntary carbon markets in China are aimed at stimulating the development of renewable energy by attracting foreign and domestic financing, as well as mitigating the negative impact of the planned tightening of the national emissions trading system for real sector companies, thereby maintaining economic growth.