Climate-above-all plea by US fails to stir China

Politicians posing as climate managers is a bad joke, and ‘tackling climate change’ is an empty slogan. BBC summary: Envoy John Kerry’s ‘it’s more important than politics’ appeal falls on deaf ears.
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US climate envoy John Kerry has told China that climate change is more important than politics as tensions between the two countries continue,
reports BBC News.

He made the remarks following two days of talks with Chinese leaders in the city of Tianjin.

But China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned on Wednesday that the worsening relationship could hamper future co-operation on climate issues.

Both countries have outlined steps to tackle climate change.

But Mr Kerry has called on China to increase its efforts to tackle carbon emissions.

Tensions between the two countries have worsened in recent months with disputes over China’s human rights record, the South China Sea and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr Kerry said he had told the Chinese that “climate is not ideological, not partisan and not a geostrategic weapon”.

“It is essential… no matter what differences we have, that we have to address the climate crisis,” he said

Earlier, Mr Wang called on the US to “stop seeing China as a threat and an opponent”, accusing Washington of a “major strategic miscalculation towards China”.

“It is impossible for China-US climate co-operation to be elevated above the overall environment of China-US relations,” he said.

Full report here.