China and the European Union will show unity in fighting global warming at a summit in Brussels on Friday, a day after President Donald Trump said he would withdraw the U. S. from an international climate pact.
The meeting between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and top EU officials would end with a joint statement, backed by all 28 EU states, committing the EU and China to full implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.
The joint statement, the first between the China and the EU, would commit to cutting back on fossil fuels, developing more green technology and helping raise 100 billion dollars a year by 2020 to help poorer countries cut their emissions.
China has emerged as Europe’s unlikely partner in areas from free trade to security, and the talks in Brussels would also address North Korea’s missile tests and global steel overcapacity.
The European Commission, the EU executive, described the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, which over 190 countries have signed, as a sad day for the global community, but said that it would seek new alliances.
Li, speaking in Berlin on Thursday, underlined strong support for the 2015 Paris climate change accord from China, which overtook the U.S. as the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in 2007.
While China needs EU technical know-how to fight the pollution blighting its cities, the EU is looking to Beijing to take action against emissions blamed for increased droughts, rising seas and other affects of climate change.
Premier Li and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker would address a business conference in Brussels, before joining European Council President Donald Tusk for the summit.
A broader final communique would be issued focusing on a range of other issues expected to be raised at the talks, including a commitment to free trade and measures needed to reduce a global steel glut. (Reuters/NAN)
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