BEIJING—Exploiting a war it swears it did not incite, China has rapidly expanded its influence across Asia by supplying emergency solar capacity to fuel-starved neighbors, each shipment accompanied by meticulous lectures on how they should have bought Chinese renewables years ago.

After banning oil-product exports and rendering jet fuel nearly unobtainable, Beijing fielded desperate appeals from Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia, Thailand, and others. Diplomats first offered perfunctory sympathy, then slid glossy brochures for solar farms across the table while noting that deeper “cooperation” would now be prudent.

Several governments have pledged major renewable contracts and “enhanced partnership,” diplomatic shorthand for “please do not let our planes fall out of the sky.” China described the outcome as a win for regional stability and its long-term objective of owning the sun.

In unrelated news, a Florida man discovered frozen beside his above-ground pool—heated by 400 linked solar garden lights—died insisting green energy had been worth it.