[By Guancha Observer Network, Wang Kaiwen] Faced with the U.S. government's "flip-flopping" on global climate governance, Europe has turned its cooperation focus to China.

According to reports from Agence France-Presse and the EU news website Euractiv on May 28, French Minister for Energy Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher is scheduled to visit China from May 29 to 30. This will be the first visit by a minister in this position to China in five years. A French government source said before her departure that after Trump returned to the White House, the EU and China must "shoulder global climate leadership responsibilities."

A member of Pannier-Runacher's team stated that this visit to China comes at a critical moment when three key time points converge: the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) to be held in Brazil at the end of the year, the United Nations Ocean Conference to be held in Nice, France on June 9, and an international negotiation aimed at reducing global plastic pollution to be held in Geneva in August.

Agnes Pannier-Runacher, French Minister for Energy Transition Pannier-RunacherX account

"The idea is that, given America's withdrawal (from climate leadership), we can try to establish new climate consensus between the EU and China," the aforementioned source said.

He emphasized that with the U.S. withdrawing from the Paris Agreement for the second time, it leaves the "two key players," the EU and China, "responsible for leading on climate issues."

In 2015, the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) reached the Paris Agreement, becoming an important outcome in the global response to climate change. During Trump's first term as president, the U.S., despite criticism from the international community, insisted on withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. After the Biden administration took office, the U.S. quickly re-entered the agreement. On January 20 this year, on the first day of Trump's second inauguration as U.S. President, the U.S. announced it would withdraw from the Paris Agreement again.

Analysts pointed out that with some countries reassessing their commitments to curb carbon pollution based on the Trump administration's stance, multilateralism driving progress in climate negotiations is under pressure.

"We are at a moment of skepticism towards climate multilateralism, the conference of parties system, and the Paris Agreement. It is very important for China and the EU to send a strong signal," a French government source said. "To put it clearly, we believe that the EU and China need strong, open leadership."

He added that before departing for China, Pannier-Runacher coordinated with European Commissioner for Climate Action Frans Timmermans.

AFP noted that Pannier-Runacher's visit to China comes just before the China-EU Summit in mid-July, which France considers a good opportunity to publicly affirm leadership on climate issues between China and the EU.

The report cited sources saying that during her stay in China, Pannier-Runacher will hold talks with Chinese Minister of Natural Resources Guan Zhiou, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu, and former Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua.

At a regular press conference on April 25, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded to whether China is willing to stand together with the EU on climate issues by stating that China has repeatedly emphasized that addressing climate change is not something others tell us to do, but rather something we ourselves must do.

"Regardless of how the international situation changes, China will work together with European countries and other parties to firmly uphold true multilateralism, comprehensively, completely, in good faith, and effectively fulfill the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, jointly address the global challenge of climate change, and jointly promote green and low-carbon development," Guo Jiakun said.

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reproduced without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7509710916880876072/

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