The US and China have committed to work together to urgently combat climate change despite rising tensions over Beijing’s assertive policies on Taiwan and the South China Sea and over human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
John Kerry and Xie Zhenhua, the climate envoys for the world’s two biggest economies, have vowed to co-operate “to tackle the climate crisis”, committing to “concrete actions in the 2020s” to reduce emissions in line with the aims of the 2015 Paris climate accord.
“Both countries recall their historic contribution to the development, adoption, signature, and entry into force of the Paris Agreement through their leadership and collaboration,” they said in a joint statement.