US will work with China on climate despite other differences: Kerry
28 January, 2021
The United States will try to keep climate negotiations with China separate from additional disagreements affecting the two countries' ties, John Kerry said on Wednesday (Jan 27).
The former secretary of state, who's now President Joe Biden's climate envoy, stressed that although it isn't possible for the US to stem rising global temperatures alone, producing an aggressive domestic policy would generate an "enormous difference."
"Now with respect to China, obviously we've serious differences with China, about some very, very, significant issues," he continued.
"The problems of theft of intellectual property and access to marketplace, the South China Ocean - I mean run the list, everybody knows them.
"Those issues won't be traded for whatever has to do with climate, that's not likely to happen. But environment is a critical standalone issue that we need to deal on."
He added that China was in charge of 30 % of the world's emissions and the US for 15 per cent.
"So it's urgent that people find a method to compartmentalise to go forward," he said.
China has called for a reset found in relations with Biden's administration after a good corrosive period of diplomacy under Donald Trump, who harangued Beijing above trade, rights, the origins of COVID-19, tech and defence supremacy.
Biden has signalled he'll remain difficult on the superpower rival, but soften the tone and commit to international cooperation after Trump's divisive "America First" approach.
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