CHINESE STATE MEDIA RESPONDS TO WESTERN CRITICISM OF CHINA AT COPENHAGEN

Chinese Premiere Wen Jiabao and Brazilian President Lula Da Silva at Copenhagen

Unreasonable to rebuke China over climate talks

2009-12-24
by Xinhua writer Yu Zhixiao

BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- It is some certain European
politicians that are being irresponsible and uncooperative
when they unfairly reproach China for so-called
irresponsibility and non-cooperation in combating climate
change, especially during the Copenhagen climate talks.

Just after the conference ended earlier this month, a
handful of European politicians charged China with not
voluntarily and actively cutting emissions. They also
claimed China adopted unilateralism at the conference and
disregarded the interests of other countries.

Among the chorus, British Energy and Climate Change
Secretary Ed Miliband Monday alleged the Copenhagen
conference was "hijacked" by China and several other
developing countries, displayed "a farcical picture to the
public," and fell flat.

Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren claimed
Tuesday that the Copenhagen talks failed to make
breakthrough due to inertia of a few countries "especially
the United States and China."

As a matter of fact, China, in sharp contrast with the
claims, has exerted great effort to push forward the
Copenhagen negotiations with an eye to reaching a widely
accepted accord.

Premier Wen Jiabao flew to Copenhagen and delivered a key
speech at the talks to detail China's achievements and
future plans for fighting climate change. Wen's speech
showed China's sincerity and determination to move forward
the talks on climate change.

China, in the spirit of mutual respect and pragmatic
cooperation, maintained close contact and coordination with
all parties to help reach the hard-won Copenhagen Accord.

Over the past years, China has implemented a variety of
effective measures, including the promotion of renewable
energy, new laws, and reductions in pollution, to cut its
emissions.

Between 1990 and 2005, China's carbon dioxide emissions per
unit of the GDP fell 46 percent due to its unremitting
efforts.

Building on that, China also has set a fresh target of
cutting emissions per unit of the GDP by 40 percent to 45
percent by 2020 from 2005 levels. To reduce emissions on
such a large scale and over such an extended period of time
will require tremendous efforts by China, still a
developing country.

The target will be made mandatory and incorporated into
China's mid- and long-term plan for national economic and
social development to ensure its implementation will be
subject to the supervision of the law and public opinion.

Officials from some countries have highly praised China's
role at the conference. For example, Nolana Ta Ama, Dean of
the Diplomatic Corps and Togo's ambassador to China, said
Sunday that China played a leading role and made positive
contributions to the conference.

Distinctly and undeniably, China has acted as a responsible
and cooperative player at the Copenhagen talks and in
combating climate change.