SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt – The US and China have started unofficial conversations on climate-related issues during the COP27 climate summit in Egypt, a potential signal that relations between the two world superpowers are warming despite a formal suspension of bilateral negotiations on related matters earlier this year.
China’s climate envoy Xie Zhenhua told Bloomberg News on Wednesday that he met his US counterpart John Kerry for unofficial talks, emphasising the door is always open on the Chinese side for a joint effort to promote COP27 agenda items at the annual global climate meeting.
“Even as the two countries haven’t resumed official climate talks, we met already for unofficial consultations for a successful COP27,” Mr Xie said before a press briefing in the coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.
Mr Kerry said he spoke with Mr Xie at an event sponsored by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. Formal talks, however, are not in the cards at this moment, he said. Mr Kerry has repeatedly stressed that the existential threat of climate change is not a bilateral issue. Both men are interested in resuming talks on curbing methane, combating deforestation and accelerating the green transition, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the discussions.
Mr Kerry has previously described sending unanswered texts and e-mails to Mr Xie in hopes of restarting talks.
Mr Xie said he and Mr Kerry communicated in eight e-mails during the suspension of talks between the two countries as they have been keeping private contact following a friendship of 25 years.
Beijing announced it was halting negotiations with the US over climate and several other issues in August, after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, the island which China views as a renegade province.
The freeze had implications for broader, multilateral climate negotiations at the COP27 summit in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Collaboration between the two countries in 2014 helped provide the foundation for the Paris Agreement a year later. And a joint declaration in the final days of the COP26 summit in Glasgow last year helped pave the way for a final accord.
Mr Xie said Mrs Pelosi’s visit had “hurt Chinese people’s feelings”, but noted that informal discussions and personal correspondence with US delegates continued. “The door is absolutely closed by (the United States),” he said. “It is we, China, who are trying to open it.”
Mr Xie said on Wednesday at the COP27 summit that China would be willing to contribute to a mechanism for compensating poorer countries for losses and damage caused by climate change.
He said China had no obligation to participate, but stressed his solidarity with those calling for more action from wealthy nations on the issue, and outlined the damage China had suffered from climate-linked weather extremes.
“We strongly support the claims from developing countries, especially the most vulnerable countries, for claiming loss and damage compensation because China is also a developing country and we also suffered a lot from extreme weather events,” Mr Xie said, speaking through a translator. “It is not the obligation of China, but we are willing to make our contribution and make our effort.”
China is designated by the World Trade Organisation as a developing country, despite having the world’s second largest economy.
Last month, Mr Kerry told reporters China should contribute its own funds to loss and damage, “especially if they think they’re going to continue to go on to the next 30 years with increasing their emissions,” Politico reported.
Mr Xie said that Mr Kerry had not raised this issue with him during the informal talks this week. He added that China already contributed billions of yuan to developing countries to help with their mitigation efforts.
“Our attitude is very constructive and active,” he said. BLOOMBERG, REUTERS
