China, US agree to create working group on fighting climate change

Beijing, Mar 20 (efe-epa).- China and the United States have agreed to strengthen cooperation in their fight against climate change by establishing a joint working group for the purpose, Chinese state media reported Saturday.

The announcement was after the first high-level in-person US-China talks in Alaska since President Joe Biden took office in January.

The two sides committed to enhance communication and cooperation in climate change, Xinhua said, citing a Chinese delegation statement.

They also agreed that they would be building on the spirit of the Feb.11 telephonic conversation between Biden and President Xi Jinping.

The two sides “will maintain dialogue and communication, conduct mutually beneficial cooperation, avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment, as well as conflict and confrontation, so as to promote sound and steady development of China-US relations,” Xinhua said, quoting the delegation.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi and top diplomat Yang Jiechi led the Chinese delegation while the US side was led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

“The two parties are fully committed to the boosting the dialog and cooperation in the fight against climate change, the parties will create a joint US-Chinese working group on climate change,” the Chinese delegation said.

They also agreed to hold talks and “facilitate activities of each other’s diplomatic and consular missions and personnel, as well as on issues related to media reporters in the spirit of reciprocity and mutual benefit.”

The US last year ordered the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston in response to Beijing closing down the US mission in Chengdu City.

China-US ties deteriorated significantly during Donald Trump’s presidency with toughening of visa rules.

Xinhua said the two sides discussed adjusting relevant travel and visa policies and gradually promoting normalization of personnel exchanges between China and the US.

They discussed a series of topics, including economy and trade, military, cyber-security, climate change, Iran, Afghanistan, North Korea, and Myanmar.

The two sides also agreed to enhance coordination and consultation in such multilateral mechanisms as the G20 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

According to the Chinese side, the US, at the end of the two-day dialogue in the Alaskan city of Anchorage, reiterated its adherence to the one-China policy on the Taiwan question. EFE

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