China actively strives for success of Paris climate conference: envoy

The Chinese delegation to the Paris climate talks is busy communicating with parties concerned, striving for a comprehensive, balanced, powerful, ambitious and legally binding climate agreement, China's special envoy said on Friday.

Representatives from all the parties have shown flexibility and conducted substantive discussions on some important issues of the text during the negotiation lasting from later Thursday to earlier Friday, said Xie, special envoy on climate change as the COP21 is about to conclude.

He predicted that the new version of the Paris climate agreement that is scheduled to be released by the COP president on Saturday will be "quite close" to the final agreement, and the brackets that represent disagreements of the parties would be dramatically decreased.

The Chinese delegation will urge all the parties to make joint efforts towards a final agreement with full constructiveness, flexibility and impetus, to ensure the conference reach a comprehensive, balanced, powerful, legally binding agreement that applies to all the parties, said Xie.

He said that he consulted with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Head of Malaysian Delegation Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Indian Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar as well as representatives from the United States on Friday morning.

Moreover, Xie said that he planned to meet other ministers and representatives for discussion.

"Right now we are engaged in intensive consultations. We hope all the parties will be flexible to ensure the success of the conference," said Xie.

He noted that the joint statements between China and France, China and the U.S. provided balanced solutions to narrow differences, and hoped all the parties will move towards this direction.

Laurent Fabius, French Foreign Minister and President of the COP21, said at noon on Friday that he would step up communications with all the parties concerning the negotiation so as to provide a new version of the text at 9 o'clock on Saturday.

He said he is convinced that the new version will be passed.

"There are still several outstanding issues, like differentiation, ambition, climate financing, etc," said Ban Ki-moon, adding that "we have just very limited hours remaining."

"I sincerely hope that negotiators and ministers will take the strong leadership and engagement and their wise decision ... I'm urging the negotiators to make their decision, based on global vision," said the UN chief. Endit