China and the European Union have pledged to deepen their cooperation on environmental and climate issues at the fifth High-Level Environment and Climate Dialogue held on Tuesday in Brussels.
The dialogue was co-hosted by Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for the European Green Deal, Maros Sefcovic. Both sides agreed on the importance of working together to address global climate challenges and to push forward a green transformation.
Vice Premier Ding highlighted the progress China has made in green and low-carbon development, emphasizing that China has firmly implemented its national strategy to address climate change. He noted that China aims to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, integrating these goals into the country’s overall economic and social development.
“This is not what others want us to do, but what we need to do,” Ding said, underscoring China’s commitment to building a global ecological civilization.
Ding stressed that China and the EU share extensive common interests in green transformation and should fully leverage high-level dialogue mechanisms to deepen their green partnership. He called for both sides to seek common ground while setting aside differences, maintain the positive momentum of environmental and climate cooperation, and focus on key areas such as green energy, low-carbon technologies, and environmental management.
The Vice Premier also addressed concerns over the EU’s plan to impose additional duties on imports of Chinese electric vehicles, describing it as “typical protectionism” that is not conducive to the EU’s green transformation and could undermine global cooperation on climate change. He urged the EU to enhance policy consistency and avoid economic and trade frictions that could delay the green transition process.
Sefcovic acknowledged China’s pivotal role in global affairs and expressed the EU’s willingness to deepen cooperation with China in tackling climate change and protecting the environment. He appreciated China’s strong measures and notable results in promoting green and low-carbon development.
Both sides agreed to resolve trade differences through dialogue and consultation, emphasizing the importance of maintaining good relations to lead global environmental and climate governance. They reviewed the outcomes of practical cooperation since the previous dialogue and discussed next steps for collaboration.
The meeting reinforced the commitment of China and the EU to work together in building a sustainable future and highlighted the significance of their partnership in addressing global climate challenges.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
