Xie returns as climate change envoy

▶ Tough, experienced negotiator ‘ answers nation's call'

The central government has appointed China's top climate advisor, Xie Zhenhua, as China's special envoy on climate change, with observers describing his return as “answering the nation's call” when China needs a powerful and experienced figure to lead its climate negotiations with the US after the US rejoined the Paris Agreement.

The appointment shows that China attaches great importance to climate change work, and is committed to strengthening exchanges and cooperating with international society to address climate change challenges to jointly build a winning, fair and reasonable climate governance system, Liu Youbin, spokesperson of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment ( MEE), said at a press conference on Thursday.

Xie, 71, has participated in several international climate change negotiations and played a key role in China joining the Paris Agreement in 2015. In 2015, he was appointed as China's Special Advisor for Climate Change Affairs. He resigned from the position as special representative in 2019.

“The position as special envoy for climate change calls for a very powerful and experienced figure to lead the complicated work,” Ma Jun, director of the Beijingbased Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Xie is “highly professional, experienced and well- connected globally,” Ma said. “I worked with Xie several times, and I noticed the friendship and mutual respect between him and other senior officials on climate, such as Al Gore.”

US climate envoy John Kerry, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, said in early February that he expected to speak to Xie soon and called him a "leader" and a "capable advocate" for his country on the issue of global warming, Reuters reported.

“With his leadership and efforts, public opinion of China on climate change has been changed.” Zhan Anling, who used to be in charge of the press work for the Chinese delegation in at least five climate negotiations, told the Global Times.

“Climate change might be one of the rare areas that China and the US could share their knowledge,” Ma said. “As the US has appointed a high- level individual on this issue, China also needs a very experienced figure to face potential cooperation and confrontations.”

During the two sessions next week, China's most important political event, much more detailed roadmaps on how to achieve the goal of reducing emissions and of meeting the climate change goals are expected to be unveiled, as this year is also the first year of the 14th Five- Year Plan 2021- 25.

There will be more detailed requirements and specific goals in the roadmaps - for instance, upgrading the traditional industries and equipping them with cutting- edge technologies, experts said.

“He applies the art of communication. He firmly stands for China in negotiations, while cares for other countries’ benefits.”