Can China US climate cooperation "heat up"?, "The Hottest Season" China Kerry Ambassador to Beijing | Climate | China Kerry
John Kerry, the US President's special envoy on climate issues, arrived in China on July 16th. Starting from the 17th, China and the United States will exchange in-depth views on cooperation in addressing climate change. The resumption of climate change talks between China and the United States has received high attention from the outside world. What are the expected contents of the talks between the two sides? What impact will the current status of bilateral relations between China and the United States have on climate cooperation? International media has analyzed and interpreted this.
According to Agence France Presse, this is Kerry's third visit to China since serving as the climate envoy. At present, the impact of climate change is deeply felt around the world, and many regions are suffering from heat waves.
It is reported that in recent months, the number of visits from Washington has been increasing. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China in June, followed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen in early July.
These two world's largest economies have not formally discussed climate issues for nearly a year. After months of tension, the current atmosphere seems to be a resumption of communication.
The report also stated that time is tight now: globally, June this year is the hottest month on record; According to preliminary data from the World Meteorological Organization, the first full week of July was the hottest week on record.
According to a report on the CNN website, Kerry embarked on a long-awaited journey to restart climate negotiations on the 16th. After disembarking from the plane, the US climate envoy walked into one of the hottest summers on record in the Chinese capital. In the United States, an extreme heat wave is also raging.
On the 13th, John Kerry, the US President's climate envoy, attended a hearing in the House of Representatives in Washington.
According to a report on the BBC website, as Kerry arrives in China, the main issue currently facing these two major powers is whether they can abandon diplomatic differences and focus on important climate goals.
According to reports, Kerry's office stated that he hopes to engage with China on "increasing implementation efforts and achieving high goals", and ensure the success of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, scheduled for the end of this year.
Although it is widely believed that this meeting between the two sides is unlikely to form any specific decisions, it will be seen as the beginning of the dialogue. They are likely to explore the common challenges they face in accelerating the transition to clean energy and reducing carbon emissions.
The report states that people hope to see the friendly relationship between China and the United States at the 2021 Conference of the Parties, when the two countries unexpectedly issued a joint declaration on accelerating emissions reduction.
Li Shuo, Senior Global Policy Advisor at Greenpeace East Asia, said, "You can still express your support for trade decoupling, provided that you are willing to bear the cost that comes with it. But you can never express your view of allowing climate to decouple, because this issue can never be solved unilaterally by the United States or China. This is indeed a global issue that requires joint efforts from all parties."
However, the continued suppression and containment policies implemented by the United States against China have affected the prospects of achieving results in the China US climate dialogue. The Financial Times website reported that Washington attempted to isolate climate negotiations from broader relations with China, but as Tom Woodruff of the China Climate Center at the Asia Pacific Policy Institute in the United States put it, "Chinese people have never accepted this.".
According to reports, US and Chinese officials have privately stated that they expect neither side to change their strategic direction. For example, during Yellen's visit to China, he told his Chinese counterparts that the United States will continue to implement measures such as export controls to "protect national security.". And China will continue to oppose Biden's actions.
According to a report on the CNN website, citing expert analysis, Kerry's trip is not expected to have any major announcements, and "the chances of achieving breakthroughs are very slim. These issues are highly politicized.".
The report mentioned that Kerry was under political pressure within the United States. On the 13th, Republicans questioned Kerry at a hearing in the US House of Representatives and criticized him for not putting enough pressure on China to reduce emissions. Some even criticize him for engaging in climate negotiations with China, citing the so-called "China's human rights record" and strategic competition between China and the United States. Kerry said that if the United States does not negotiate with China, it will be the "worst approach".
