BEIJING: China hailed climate talks with the United States as a success on Thursday, with the US climate envoy saying the two global powers had reached common ground on a number of matters.
The negotiations in California between top officials come ahead of a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping next week, where they would be seeking to improve relations after years of frosty ties.
Beijing’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment said that the meetings — between US climate ambassador John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua — “ended successfully” on Wednesday, AFP reported.
It said that they engaged in a comprehensive, in-depth exchange of views. They achieved constructive results on developing bilateral climate change cooperation and action.
John Kerry said that he had held constructive and comprehensive discussions with the PRC over 5 days, referring to China by its official name.
He said in a statement that they reached common ground on a number of matters that would likely prove productive in these critical weeks ahead of COP28.
Countries will gather in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the end of the month for the summit aimed at building consensus for limiting global warming.
China’s environment ministry said that Beijing and Washington have agreed to jointly move for the success of that gathering.
That success will hinge on agreement between the US and China, the world’s two largest greenhouse gas emitters.
US, China push for improved ties
Washington and Beijing are working to patch up ties that sank to some of their deepest lows in recent years over problems including trade, national security, and human rights.
The US sent top officials to Beijing this year in a bid to reestablish high-level talks.
This week Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said his nation was open to talks with the US at “all levels”.
