US and China agree to Cooperate on Climate Crisis

China and the United States are the countries that emit the most carbon dioxide, responsible for almost half of the emissions derived from fossil fuels that are heating the planet’s atmosphere.

Their cooperation is crucial to the success of global efforts to limit climate change, although tensions over Chinese human rights, trade and territorial claims over Taiwan and the South China Sea have threatened to undermine those efforts.

Kerry’s visit to Shanghai was the highest-level official trip by a US official to China since Biden took office in January. From there, the former secretary of state traveled to South Korea for meetings.

Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, to the April 22-23 summit. The United States and other countries are expected to announce more ambitious national targets to cut carbon dioxide emissions before or at the summit, in addition to pledging financial aid for the efforts of less wealthy countries.

It was unclear how far cooperation between the United States and China would go on climate issues.

While Kerry was still in Shanghai, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said on Friday that Beijing was unlikely to announce any new commitments at the summit.

“For a large country with 1.4 billion people, these goals are not easily achieved,” Le said during an interview with The Associated Press in Beijing. “Some countries ask China to reach its goals sooner, I’m afraid this is not very realistic.”

Biden, who has said that fighting climate change is among his top priorities, began the process for the United States to return to the Paris Climate Agreement in the first hours of his presidency, repealing the withdrawal order of his predecessor, Donald Trump.