How Far Can China-US Climate Cooperation Go?

This aerial view taken with a drone shows pollution being emitted from steel factories in Hancheng, Shaanxi Province, China on Feb. 17, 2018. Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty Images

Commentary

The U.S. President’s special envoy for climate change, John Kerry, ended his trip in Shanghai. The international community is concerned about the outcome of the China-U.S. cooperation on climate issues, especially whether the U.S. government will be fooled by the Chinese regime.

Xi Jinping Doesn’t Care About Climate Issues

Kerry visited several countries, including China, ahead of the climate summit, which will be hosted by the United States from April 22 to 23. Kerry was deliberately arranged to visit Shanghai, instead of Beijing, and even the reception was substandard—it’s obvious that Chinese leader Xi Jinping did not want to meet with him.

A joint statement on climate change was published on the website of the U.S. Department of State and the website of the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment. It’s noteworthy that the website of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no relevant information, and even the regime’s mouthpiece Xinhua briefly mentioned the meeting between Kerry and his counterpart, Xie Zhenhua.

The Chinese regime’s lack of enthusiasm probably indicates how the climate issues will be handled. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s climate cooperation is just a way of fooling the international community and a trick in foreign diplomacy. The CCP doesn’t care about climate and environmental issues unless it benefits from the negotiations.

Frankly, if the Chinese regime actually cared about environmental and climate issues, it would not have destroyed China and made it one of the most polluted countries in the world.

Instead of taking climate action now, Xi promised the leaders of France and Germany that China will achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2060.

Will the US Accept the CCP’s Terms on Climate Cooperation?

The CCP proposed to cooperate with the United States on several issues, including the pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines, the economy and trade, and science and technology, but it didn’t get the type of response it wanted from the Biden administration.

Climate cooperation has become one of the remaining tools for the regime to make a breakthrough in China-U.S. relations. I believe the CCP is seeking high-level dialogue and Xi wants to meet with President Joe Biden, and this may be achieved.

I also believe the CCP will seek the opportunity to persuade or pressure the United States into relaxing sanctions on China with regards to science and technology, economy and trade, and human rights. In order to pull the regime into the climate cooperation agreement, the Biden administration might cave into pressure. Many conscientious people are concerned with this issue.

In exchange for climate cooperation, I strongly believe that the CCP will pressure the United States to make concessions on the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, East China Sea, Hong Kong, and human rights issues. The conflict between the United States and China with regards to these issues is almost impossible to resolve.

Even if the CCP agrees to the terms of climate cooperation, it may not hold its end of the bargain. For example, the CCP couldn’t commit to the terms of the first phase of the U.S.-China trade agreement.

If the United States and Western countries can recognize that the CCP doesn’t keep its promises, then the CCP will not be able to play tricks. Politicians and leaders from various countries must be aware of the CCP’s deceitful tactics as they can be easily lured into their traps that prey on their weaknesses.

Yang Wei has been closely following China affairs for many years. He has been contributing political commentary on China for the Chinese language Epoch Times since 2019.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.