Spotlight: Cooperation with EU highlights China's responsible role in addressing climate change

China and the European Union (EU) issued a joint statement on climate change here on Monday to enhance cooperation in the uphill battle against global climate change.

China has promised to peak its carbon dioxide emissions around 2030, and is striving to reach the peak at an even earlier date and increase the share of non-fossil fuels to around 20 percent in primary energy consumption by 2030.

Also on Monday, in a signed article published by the French Le Figaro newspaper, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said that his country is ready to work with France to actively contribute to the establishment of a global climate governing system that is fair and reasonable.

The strong determination and deep sincerity revealed by the Chinese side and the increasingly close cooperation between China and Europe highlighted China's responsible role in fighting climate change.

According to the China-EU joint statement, both sides agreed to promote cooperation on climate change and develop a cost-effective, low-carbon economy while maintaining robust economic growth.

They also reached consensus to further enhance policy dialogue and practical cooperation on the two sides' transformation to a resource-efficient, green, low-carbon and climate-resilient economy and society.

Meanwhile, China and the EU will establish low-carbon partnership between cities of both sides, promote dialogue and cooperation on their domestic mitigation policies for climate change and enhance collaboration on climate-related scientific research and technology innovation.

According to the statement, China and the EU are committed to working together to reach an "ambitious and legally binding agreement" at the Paris Climate Conference in 2015 which aims to enhance the implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, based on equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

China and the EU also stressed that it is crucial to step up actions on climate change from now till 2020, reiterating developed countries' commitment to jointly mobilize 100 billion U.S. dollars annually by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries.

Actually, China has already made enormous efforts to address climate change.

A special report recently published by the International Energy Agency showed Chinese carbon emissions registered in 2014 a drop of around 130 million metric tons, or 1.5 percent annually. It was the first time that the volume of Chinese carbon emissions declined since 1999, while its economy increased around 7 percent.

Besides cooperation with Europe, China, as a responsible major country, has also pledged to help other developing countries cope with climate change through cooperating with the UN and multilateral financial institutions, establishing a South-South Cooperation Fund and enhancing professional training and exchanges.

Since 2011, China has accumulatively invested around 44 million U.S. dollars in South-South cooperation and provided assistance to other developing countries through low-carbon products, training and capacity building.

China's efforts in addressing climate change have got positive feedback from the international community. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that "China has a key role to play and has already made important decisions concerning environmental matters." Endi