Chinese official: China plays constructive role in tackling climate change

NEW YORK, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- China is playing a "positive and constructive role" in tackling climate change, Xie Zhenhua, Vice Minister of China's National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference here on Tuesday.

"The Chinese government has been actively participating in climate change talks at various levels, in an effort to enhance cooperation with the international community," said Xie, who was here accompanying Chinese President Hu Jintao for the one-day UN Climate Change Summit on Tuesday.

Xie said China has also put forward a series of proposals relating to the various issues of the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Copenhagen at the end of this year.

"More importantly, China has made substantial contributions to the global fight against climate change by adopting a series of effective energy-saving and emission-reduction measures," said the chief climate change negotiator of China.

He noted that leaders of some developed countries had expressed the political will to deal with climate change. "I hope this would push the climate change negotiation forward," he said.

"However, we must listen to their words and watch their deeds," said Xie.

To tackle climate change, he said, developed countries should take the lead in reducing emissions after 2012. They should also provide technological and financial assistance to developing countries so as to increase their capacity for combating climate change.

Developing countries, on the other hand, will take effective measures to mitigate the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with their strategies for sustainable development, Xie added.