China, US to strengthen climate efforts

China and the United States have agreed to continue to promote consultation and practical cooperation on climate change, and jointly advance multilateral processes to strengthen the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Talks with visiting US climate envoy John Kerry this week were "candid, in-depth and pragmatic", the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said in a statement on Friday.

The world's two biggest carbon emitters will work together to help achieve success at this year's climate talks in Glasgow in November, where nearly 200 countries will review global efforts to tackle rising temperatures, the ministry said.

This is Kerry's second visit to China this year. During his visit from Tuesday to Thursday, Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua held talks with him in the northern city of Tianjin. Kerry also met via video link with Vice-Premier Han Zheng, as well as senior diplomats Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi.

The two sides have recognized the importance of Sino-US dialogue and cooperation in the multilateral process of climate change, and discussed establishing mechanisms to boost concrete and pragmatic dialogue and cooperation, the ministry said.

By establishing relevant mechanisms, China and the US will identify plans and programs in green and low-carbon fields that the two countries can cooperate on, the statement said.

The two sides also discussed domestic policies and action on climate change, according to the ministry.

Also on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a daily news conference that China hopes the US will remove roadblocks to bilateral climate change cooperation, and work for more results in this area in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

As the largest developing country, China will use the shortest time to complete the largest decrease in carbon emissions, which shows its attitude as a responsible major country, Wang said.

The US should shoulder its statutory duty and carry out meaningful cooperation with developing countries on climate change, he said.