Amid escalating tensions between the United States and China, Chinese President Xi Jinping has not committed to joining a virtual climate change summit hosted by the United States later this month.
Special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry told CNN’s Jim Sciutto that Xi hasn’t said he would participate in next week’s virtual summit but called on the country to be proactive to combat climate change.
“We cannot resolve the climate crisis without China being at the table and without China’s cooperation,” Kerry said. “It is absolutely critical.”
“China is the largest [carbon] emitter at about 28 to 30 percent. We’re the second-largest at about 15 percent, so just between two of us, we have 45 percent of the world’s emissions.”
In addition to Xi, Biden extended an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin as tensions also escalate between Washington and Moscow. Kerry noted that “over 40 heads of state” are set for the two-day virtual summit on April 22 and 23.
The Washington Post reported last week that Kerry is set to travel to China in an effort to create unity in combating the climate crisis. The meetings in China would mark the first major visit by a Biden administration official to China.
The Chinese Communist Party’s treatment of Uyghurs and Hong Kongers, as well as trade sanctions and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, have resulted in strained relations.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki was dismissive of China’s non-committal stance, insisting the United States is still finalizing details for the summit during her daily press briefing Tuesday.
“We are engaged at a range of levels, we are approaching our relationship as not one of conflict, but of competition,” Psaki said Tuesday at the White House. “We believe that the most important steps we can take is to rebuild and support our own economy here at home and to also be candid about areas where we have concerns.
“Whether it’s human rights abuses or technological abuses, that is certainly how we approach our relationship.”
China’s Communist government has previously smacked down Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s appeals to work together on climate change after he said he agreed that the Chinese government’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims amounted to “genocide.”
In a statement released on Twitter in January, China’s Foreign Ministry accused Blinken of “interfering in its domestic affairs and undermining its interests” after he backed predecessor Mike Pompeo’s declaration that it had launched “a systematic attempt to destroy Uyghurs.”
“China is willing to work with the US on climate change. But such cooperation cannot stand unaffected by the overall China-US relations,” the statement read.
“It is impossible to ask for China’s support in global affairs while interfering in its domestic affairs and undermining its interests,” it added.