China ready to shoulder responsibility to fight climate change

By Gaurav Sharma

Beijing, June 2 (IANS) As President Donald Trump announced the US withdrawal from the Paris climate deal slamming China and India, Beijing said on Friday it was ready to "shoulder the responsibility" of fighting climate change.

"China has closely followed the withdrawal by the US. We think the Paris Agreement reflects the widest agreement of international community against climate change," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

Hua said China will take "concrete actions" against climate change.

"This is a responsibility shouldered by China as a major country. In future, China will continue to work on anti-climate change progress and uphold climate change process globally."

China, the world's biggest greenhouse gases emitter, ratified the Paris Agreement in September 2016 on the eve G20 Summit in Hangzhou. India followed the next month.

"China's stance on climate change has been steadfast with effective measures and remarkable outcomes.

"China is now emitting 2020 greenhouse gases emission target and will submit 2030 self-determined target.

"This is China's active participation in the global climate change as a responsible major country and we are making a positive contribution."

Trump on Thursday said the US was pulling out of the Paris accord because of the "draconian financial and economic burdens".

Trump said the accord "disadvantages the US to the exclusive betterment of other countries" and targeted India and China specifically.

"India makes its participation contingent on receiving billions of dollars in foreign aid," he said.

Trump said according to the Paris Climate deal terms, China will be allowed many coal plants and India will be permitted to double its coal production by 2020 but not the US.

He said the US will begin negotiations to re-enter the Paris Agreement "on terms that are fair to the US".