China’s climate envoy Xie Zhenhua on Wednesday said that China would be willing to support a mechanism for compensating poorer countries for losses and damage brought on by climate change.
Speaking at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt, he further said that his country is under no obligation to participate, but is willing to make a contribution.
“It is not the obligation of China but we are willing to make our contribution and make our effort.”
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Later as per a Reuters report, a spokesperson for the Chinese delegation clarified that this contribution would not involve providing financial support.
According to Politico, US Special Envoy John Kerry told reporters last month that China should pay its own share of the cost of loss and damage, “especially if they think they’re going to continue to go on to the next 30 years with increasing their emissions.”
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Xie addressed this statement by Kerry and said that “his friend for 25 years,” did not bring up this subject with him during informal conversations this week at the climate summit.
He added that China had previously given developing nations billions of yuan to aid in their efforts to mitigate climate change.
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Xie also talked about US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit and remarked that it had hurt “hurt Chinese people’s feelings.”
Following the contentious visit by Pelosi, China announced that it would suspend all climate change dialogue with Washington. Xie said that informal discussions and personal correspondence are still continuing and that “The door is absolutely closed by (the United States),” adding “It is we, China, who are trying to open it.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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