China says climate talks with Britain's Sharma were 'candid, constructive'

Sharma, who visited the northern city of Tianjin for discussions from Sunday to Tuesday, is president of the COP 26 climate talks, as the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference are known, set to held in November in Glasgow. The officials' discussions focused on arrangements for the conference, global climate action and climate change co-operation by the two nations, China's ecology and environment ministry said in a statement.

China's special envoy on climate Xie Zhenhua held "candid, in-depth and constructive" talks this week with Britain's senior climate change official Alok Sharma, the environment ministry said on Thursday. Sharma, who visited the northern city of Tianjin for discussions from Sunday to Tuesday, is president of the COP 26 climate talks, as the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference is known, set to hold in November in Glasgow.

The officials' discussions focused on arrangements for the conference, global climate action, and climate change co-operation by the two nations, China's ecology, and environment ministry said in a statement. Both sides believe the Glasgow conference should insist on 'fair, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities principles' to complete follow-up talks on rules regarding the Paris Accord, the ministry added.

The COP 26 talks should also ensure developed countries fulfill annual funding commitments of $100 billion by 2020, and boost support for adaptation efforts by developing nations, it said. China, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, will host COP 15 biodiversity talks in its southwestern city of Kunming in October.

Xie met his U.S. counterpart, John Kerry, last week.

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