China names Liu Zhenmin as its new special envoy for climate change
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Mr Liu Zhenmin, a former vice-foreign minister, has long experience in climate diplomacy.
PHOTO: UN.ORG
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BEIJING – China has named Mr Liu Zhenmin, a former vice-foreign minister, as its new special envoy for climate change, after his predecessor Xie Zhenhua stepped down for health reasons,
Mr Xie, 74, served as China’s top climate representative at 16 rounds of climate talks. His longstanding relationship with counterparts in the United States – including incumbent John Kerry – has played a major role in securing global consensus on climate issues.
Mr XIe’s resignation was announced following a video meeting with Mr Kerry, and comes only weeks after he helped secure an agreement to tackle emissions from fossil fuels at the COP28 climate talks
Mr Liu, 68, acted as Mr Xie’s special adviser in Dubai, and has long experience in climate diplomacy, participating in negotiations to draw up the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Unlike Mr Xie, Mr Liu is a fluent English speaker. He served as undersecretary-general at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs from 2017 to 2022, with a broad brief that included climate issues. REUTERS
