Kerry says US hopeful it can work with China on climate

John Kerry, President Biden’s special envoy for climate, said Saturday he is hopeful the U.S. and China will be able to work together on climate issues in the future.

“Our hope is that we’re going to be able to deal with yes, China,” Kerry said during a visit to the United Arab Emirates, according to Reuters.

“President Biden has made it clear and I’ve made it clear: none of the other issues we have with China — and there are issues — is held hostage to or is engaged in a trade for what we need to do on climate,” Kerry added.

The former secretary of State’s optimism about potential cooperation with China on climate comes as Washington and Beijing face deep disagreements over human rights and economic issues.

The U.S. has recently put sanctions on China for its treatment of the Uyghur Muslim population, while China hit back and put sanctions on U.S. officials as well.

Kerry recently said at the Institute of International Finance’s 2021 Washington Policy Summit that he doesn’t know if China will work with the U.S. on climate issues.

China has a stated goal to be carbon neutral by 2060. Biden will be announcing new climate goals for the country at a climate summit in April.

Kerry, who previously served as the nation’s top diplomat under former President Obama, has said he wants the Biden administration to “pick up where we left off in 2015 working with China to bring about the Paris agreement because it’s essential.”

“If the United States were to go to zero tomorrow, we would still have a massive problem of climate crisis. That’s because China is 30 percent and going up,” he said last week.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently had a meeting with Chinese officials to discuss the countries’ differences. Chinese officials said they want Biden to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the climate summit later this month.