Chinese vice premier highlights trust for Sino-US climate cooperation

China hopes America will create the appropriate circumstances for jointly tackling climate change based on the spirit of the conversations between their leaders.

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng made the remarks in video talks with visiting US climate envoy John Kerry on Thursday.

Addressing climate change is an important part of China-US cooperation, which must be based on trust, Han said.

Noting China's goal of having CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, he said China has always delivered on its words while addressing climate change. He called on the US to make joint contributions to the global fight against climate change, focusing on the implementation of the joint statement addressing the climate crisis and under the objectives and principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.

Kerry said that US and China should maintain constructive engagement and jointly address global challenges.

Noting that China has made tremendous efforts in addressing climate change, he said the US is willing to strengthen contact and communication with China, step up implementation of the Paris Agreement and jointly address the threat of global climate change.

Kerry is in the northern city of Tianjin for face-to-face talks with Xie Zhenhua, China's special climate envoy, on the countries' joint response to the climate crisis.

Global decarbonizing efforts will come under the spotlight at a UN conference in Glasgow, Scotland, in late November known as COP26.

In a separate video meeting with Kerry on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned Kerry that deteriorating US-China relations could undermine cooperation between the two on climate change.

Wang pointed out that the US side had described climate change cooperation as an "oasis" of China-US relationship. However, if the oasis is surrounded by deserts, then sooner or later the "oasis" will be desertified.

Wang said the two countries had carried out fruitful dialogue and cooperation bilaterally and on major international and regional issues including climate change, delivering tangible benefits to the two countries and two peoples.

However, major strategic miscalculation by the US has resulted in sudden deterioration of bilateral relations in recent years, Wang said, adding the ball now is in the US court.

Kerry said since US-China cooperation is of vital importance for responding to the pressing challenge of climate change, the United States is willing to work with China to enhance dialogue, jointly improve ambitions, demonstrate leadership, and set an example for meeting the Paris Agreement goals.