China's vice premier, U.S. climate envoy Kerry discuss climate cooperation: Xinhua

FILE PHOTO: Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng attends the closing session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 27, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/Pool

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng and U.S. climate envoy John Kerry met via video link on Friday, with both sides expressing willingness to cooperate on climate change, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.

Han said China welcomed the U.S. return to the 2015 Paris Agreement, according to Xinhua. Kerry was in Shanghai for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua.

China was willing to strengthen cooperation with France and Germany to cope with climate change, President Xi Jinping told French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chinese state media reported earlier on Friday.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. climate envoy John Kerry speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 27, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Xi last year announced that China, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, would achieve a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie Adler)