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US senator upbeat after 'productive' green talks

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-29 08:49

China and the United States are on the same page when it comes to working together on clean energy initiatives, said US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry Thursday after high-level meetings in Beijing.

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry is followed by embassy staff upon arrival at the Tsinghua University in Beijing May 26, 2009. [Agencies]

Kerry, who is a US senator, said that during his meeting with Vice-Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday, they discussed energy cooperation, including scientific research, investment and technology transfer with appropriate protection for intellectual property rights.

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"I have been involved in this issue for 20 years This has been the most constructive and productive discussions I've ever had with Chinese officials," said Kerry at a press conference a day after the meeting.

He also met Vice-President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

"I'm very optimistic about the possibility to produce a successful outcome at the Copenhagen meeting."

Li said China was ready to work with the US to increase dialogue and cooperation in responding to climate change issues, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The focus of Kerry's trip was to encourage cooperation on fighting climate change and to ensure the success of the Copenhagen meeting.

The UN-led climate change conference in Copenhagen in December is charged with finding a new protocol to replace the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, which will expire in 2012.

In a position paper on the Copenhagen Conference, China urged developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels.

The key to an agreement is the definition of "common and differentiated responsibilities" to reduce emissions, Kerry said. "The differentiation is some nations will not have mandatory targets today. But the common responsibility is that we are all going to reduce emissions and it's measurable, reportable and verifiable."

Kerry supports China's efforts to combat climate change, saying it was already doing things that were measurable, reportable and verifiable.

"If the US and China can demonstrate concrete progress in the weeks ahead, we will lay the foundation for success at Copenhagen and beyond," he said.

During her speech at Tsinghua University Thursday, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for cooperation with China on climate change.

"We are all in this together. The impact of climate change is a tremendous risk to the security and well-being of our countries," Pelosi said, according to Associated Press.

Analysts welcomed the cooperation.

"US recognition of differentiated responsibilities will clear the fundamental barrier for bilateral cooperation on climate change. It will also help resolve differences at the Copenhagen meeting," said Pang Zhongying, a scholar on international studies at Renmin University of China in Beijing.