China, EU hold environment, climate dialogue

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds the second High-level Environment and Climate Dialogue between China and the European Union with Frans Timmermans, executive vice president of the European Commission for the European Green Deal, via video link, in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng and Frans Timmermans, executive vice president of the European Commission for the European Green Deal, held the second High-level Environment and Climate Dialogue between China and the European Union via video link on Monday, with both sides agreeing to deepen green cooperation.

Han, also a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, mentioned China's recent announcement that it will step up support for other developing countries' green and low-carbon energy development and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad.

He said this demonstrated China's responsible attitude to global climate governance.

China has adopted a series of major moves to ensure that the goal of peaking carbon dioxide emissions and achieving carbon neutrality can be reached on schedule, he said.

He pointed out that China and the EU should make full use of the high-level dialogue platform, further implement the consensus of leaders of both sides, deepen green cooperation, and contribute to global sustainable development.

It is necessary to enhance understanding and mutual trust, strengthen policy communication and coordination, deepen practical cooperation on major areas and strive to achieve more results, he said, adding that the two sides should practice multilateralism, help implement the Paris Agreement and inject confidence into global climate cooperation.

"China stands ready to strengthen coordination with other parties, bridge differences, promote consensus and facilitate positive results of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change," Han said.

As the host country of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), China looks forward to working with other parties to promote the success of the conference, he added.

Timmermans said the EU highly appreciates China's great efforts on coping with climate change and is willing to strengthen dialogue and coordination with China on environment and climate, make joint contributions to the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow and support China in hosting the COP15.