Copenhagen a disappointment, not a failure
- Source: Global Times
- [21:00 December 20 2009]
- Comments
GT: Although China has made remarkable commitments, its resistance to international monitoring has incurred some doubts and political pressures. How should we deal with this?
Wang: Actually, no matter what we commit, there will always be pressures and doubts. But the point is whether we could fulfill our target according to our own timetable.
Indeed, the Copenhagen climate conference has greatly accelerated China's progress in promoting concepts of scientific development and transforming developing mode.
We should not be disturbed by any doubts or pressures, and must press ahead with emissions reduction, no matter whether we receive aid, and whether external conditions are good or bad.
The most important thing is to act according to our own national conditions and schedule. We cannot be led by the nose.
Shi: China is the biggest producer of emissions. Before the Copenhagen climate conference, the US perspective was that if the conference failed, China needed to bear the most blame as the biggest emitter.
However, China's voluntary commitments and Wen's speech at the conference have transferred the focus of criticism to the US, since Obama has a very conservative Congress to deal with.
On the issue of emissions reduction, China should not only protect its overall interests, including economic development, transformation of the development mode and national sovereignty, but also positively participate in finding solutions. If it does this, China will not be the target of international criticism.
Furthermore, the difficulties and twists at the conference suggest that formulating international rules on the issue of climate changes involve a significant stake of each nation's interests. So China must participate to ensure that future international rules are in accord with its national interests.
