Obama, Xi tout close U.S.-China climate coordination
REUTERS
U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during their meeting at the start of the climate summit in Paris on Monday.
REUTERS
U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during their meeting at the start of the climate summit in Paris on Monday.Yet, U.S. President acknowledges persistent differences with the Chinese President over cyber-security and maritime security.
President Barack Obama on Monday touted close U.S. cooperation with China on climate change as vital to world efforts for slowing global warming, even as he acknowledged persistent differences with China’s President Xi Jinping over cyber-security and maritime security.
“Our leadership on this issue has been absolutely vital,” Mr. Obama said.
Invokes hot-button issues
Yet the U.S. President invoked hot-button issues that have long vexed U.S.-China relations as he and Mr. Xi opened their meeting. The U.S. has complained bitterly about cyber-attacks against it emanating from China, and Mr. Obama has spoken out regularly against China’s assertive moves in disputed waters in the East China Sea and South China Sea.
Yet, he said the U.S. and China had developed a “candid way of discussing these issues,” adding that he hoped to build on that tradition during his meeting with Mr. Xi.
Climate change a huge challenge: Xi
The Chinese leader described climate change a huge challenge. Speaking through a translator, he called for the U.S. and China to build a new model of cooperation, using diplomatic language long preferred by Beijing.
Mr. Obama’s meeting with Mr. Xi at the opening of the two-week Paris conference was designed to underscore the need for all nations to come together on a strong agreement to combat climate change. China emits about 30 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases and the U.S. about 16 per cent.
Pressuring rich and developing nations
Both countries have sought to use their cooperation on the issue to ramp up pressure on developed and developing countries alike to pledge ambitious cuts. In a joint announcement last year, Mr. Obama pledged to cut U.S. emissions up to 28 per cent over the next decade, while Mr. Xi announced China would cap its growing emissions by 2030 or sooner.
As the conference kicked off, the U.S. State Department announced early on Monday that the U.S. was pledging $51 million to a global fund to help poorer countries adapt to climate change. The U.S. contribution joins pledges from Germany, Canada, Italy and others to total $248 million. The Obama administration didn’t specify where the U.S. dollars would come from.
Trying to drown out his critics
While in Paris, Mr. Obama also is trying to drown out his critics at home who say his energy plan is unattainable and could be wiped away by his successor.
President Barack Obama on Monday touted close U.S. cooperation with China on climate change as vital to world efforts for slowing global warming, even as he acknowledged persistent differences with China’s President Xi Jinping over cyber-security and maritime security.
“Our leadership on this issue has been absolutely vital,” Mr. Obama said.
Invokes hot-button issues
Yet the U.S. President invoked hot-button issues that have long vexed U.S.-China relations as he and Mr. Xi opened their meeting. The U.S. has complained bitterly about cyber-attacks against it emanating from China, and Mr. Obama has spoken out regularly against China’s assertive moves in disputed waters in the East China Sea and South China Sea.
Yet, he said the U.S. and China had developed a “candid way of discussing these issues,” adding that he hoped to build on that tradition during his meeting with Mr. Xi.
Climate change a huge challenge: Xi
The Chinese leader described climate change a huge challenge. Speaking through a translator, he called for the U.S. and China to build a new model of cooperation, using diplomatic language long preferred by Beijing.
Mr. Obama’s meeting with Mr. Xi at the opening of the two-week Paris conference was designed to underscore the need for all nations to come together on a strong agreement to combat climate change. China emits about 30 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases and the U.S. about 16 per cent.
Pressuring rich and developing nations
Both countries have sought to use their cooperation on the issue to ramp up pressure on developed and developing countries alike to pledge ambitious cuts. In a joint announcement last year, Mr. Obama pledged to cut U.S. emissions up to 28 per cent over the next decade, while Mr. Xi announced China would cap its growing emissions by 2030 or sooner.
As the conference kicked off, the U.S. State Department announced early on Monday that the U.S. was pledging $51 million to a global fund to help poorer countries adapt to climate change. The U.S. contribution joins pledges from Germany, Canada, Italy and others to total $248 million. The Obama administration didn’t specify where the U.S. dollars would come from.
Trying to drown out his critics
While in Paris, Mr. Obama also is trying to drown out his critics at home who say his energy plan is unattainable and could be wiped away by his successor.
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