China, Pacific Island countries partner for tackling climate change

JINAN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- China and Pacific Island countries reached consensus on joint cooperative measures to tackle climate change at a conference held on Thursday in east China's Shandong Province.

The unveiling ceremony of the cooperation center for China and Pacific Island countries on climate change and the opening ceremony of China-Pacific Island countries' high-level dialogue on climate change were both held offline and online.

Tapusalaia Terry Toomata, the Samoa Ambassador to China, said climate change should be tackled with practical actions, noting that China swiftly established the cooperation center to assist Pacific Island countries.

Under the climate change cooperation mechanism of the center, China and Pacific Island countries will establish platforms for professional training, technology cooperation and academic research. The South-South cooperation agreement, along with many climate change cooperation projects, was signed during the conference.

Shandong, the conference host, is committed to focusing on green development and low-carbon cooperation, and promotes non-governmental exchanges in culture, tourism, and education activities, said the organizing committee.

Drawing from its wealth of experience in enhancing mutual friendship, the Research Center for Pacific Island Countries of Liaocheng University said it will provide intelligence and knowledge services for regional climate cooperation.

Climate experts addressing the conference agreed that extreme weather conditions have become more frequent due to climate change, threatening Pacific Island countries.

Currently, China has arranged more than 1.2 billion yuan (around 181.33 million U.S. dollars) for South-South climate change cooperation, and signed 42 relevant agreements with 37 developing countries including the Pacific's Samoa and Tonga.

China vows to tackle climate change and unswervingly follows the path of green and low-carbon development. China has pledged to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.