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China ‘tells US envoy John Kerry it will follow its own climate road map’
- Source says the two sides failed to reach agreement and China has its own plans on climate matters
- Beijing describes discussions about addressing climate change as ‘candid, in-depth and pragmatic’
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Beijing has rebuffed American calls to make more public pledges on climate change before a UN climate summit in November, insisting it should follow its own plan rather than bowing to US pressure, according to a person familiar with the two countries’ negotiations.
During talks with Chinese leaders in Tianjin, US climate envoy John Kerry presented a list of proposals for Beijing to accelerate its climate efforts. They included a public commitment to the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) limit of global warming targeted in the 2015 Paris Agreement, a definite time frame for carbon emissions to peak before 2030, and a moratorium on financing overseas coal-fired projects.
But the two sides failed to reach agreement, according to the source, who requested anonymity.
“China already has its own plans and road map for achieving its climate goals,” said the person, adding China would not accept Washington telling it what to do and when.
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What is China doing about climate change?
What is China doing about climate change?
The Biden administration’s recent actions targeting the Chinese solar panel industry over forced labour allegations in Xinjiang was a concern brought up by Chinese officials during the discussions with Kerry, according to the source.
Catherine Wong is a reporter with the South China Morning Post in Beijing, where she focuses on China’s diplomacy and defence policy.
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