Kerry to discuss global warming in China

WASHINGTON: The US climate envoy John Kerry will meet his Chinese counterpart in Shanghai this week to discuss global warming issues.

Mr Kerry, a former secretary of state, is expected to hold talks with Xie Zhenhua, China’s special representative on climate affairs, in the first trip to the Asian country by a senior official in President Joe Biden administration.

As Mr Biden has vowed to make tackling climate change a top priority, the special presidential envoy is expected to seek ways to cooperate with China, the world’s top carbon dioxide emitter.

The meeting will come before Mr Biden holds a virtual summit on April 22–23 to discuss climate affairs with world leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, having reversed his predecessor Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement.

Mr Kerry and Mr Zhenhua have already communicated ahead of their planned meeting, according to sources.

The United States, the second-largest emitter, wants to work with China in combating global warming despite heightened tensions over Beijing’s treatment of the Muslim Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang region as well as concerns over Hong Kong and Taiwan.