Xi Jinping sends written statement to COP26, China alleges video link not provided
Xi’s physical absence at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference was seen as China’s unwillingness to offer any more concessions during this round of talks.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was not given the option to deliver a video address at the ongoing Conference of Parties 26, or COP26, and had to submit a written statement instead, Beijing said on Tuesday. While world leaders have gathered in Scotland, Xi sent a written response to the climate summit aimed at securing net-zero carbon emissions and keeping the Paris Agreement target of a 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature rise.
"As I understand it, the conference organisers did not provide the video link method," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular briefing.
Xi’s physical absence at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference was seen as China’s unwillingness to offer any more concessions during this round of talks. As per the expectation, China failed to offer any additional pledge to fight global warming and called on the parties to “build on exiting consensus, increase mutual trust” to deliver a successful COP26 in Glasgow.
China argued that it has already made significant pledges including bringing emissions to a peak by 2060 and raising total solar and wind capacity to 1,200 gigawatts by 2030. Xi said in a statement that China will continue to prioritise ecological conservation and pursue a green and low-carbon path to development.
“We will foster a green, low-carbon and circular economic system at a faster pace, press ahead with industrial structure adjustment, and rein in the irrational development of energy-intensive and high-emissions projects. We will speed up the transition to green and low-carbon energy, vigorously develop renewable energy, and plan and build large wind and photovoltaic power stations,” he added.
