What’s new: The U.S. president’s special climate envoy John Kerry will visit China from Wednesday to Saturday, according to China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, becoming the first cabinet-level official to visit since Joe Biden took office in January.
Xie Zhenhua, special representative on climate affairs for China, will hold talks with Kerry during his visit to Shanghai, the ministry said. They will exchange views on the impact of global warming and the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The background: Kerry’s visit comes after U.S. President Joe Biden invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to a virtual climate summit, which is scheduled to take place next week.
In February, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the long-signaled return of veteran climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua as special envoy for climate change, indicating Beijing’s willingness to prioritize climate issues in post-pandemic diplomacy, particularly with the U.S.
Xie has already been in contact with John Kerry, U.S. President Joe Biden’s climate envoy, to begin “dialogue and consultation,” said Wang Wenbing, a Foreign Ministry spokesman.
Contact reporter Wang Xintong (xintongwang@caixin.com) and editor Heather Mowbray (heathermowbray@caixin.com)
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