Climate cooperation depends on overall ties, China tells U.S.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the US should not wantonly interfere in China's internal affairs and harm China's interests

China said on Wednesday its cooperation with the United States on climate change would depend on the overall state of relations between the two countries, warning the Joe Biden administration, which has placed special emphasis on tackling climate change, that working together on this issue may extract a price. "As the largest developing country and the largest developed country in the world, China and the United States share common interests in addressing climate change,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said. "We should step up communication and coordination, and play an exemplary role in the international community. That said, I want to stress that China-U.S. cooperation in specific areas is closely related to the overall China-U.S. relationship. “The U.S. should not, on the one hand, wantonly interfere in China's internal affairs and harm China's interests, while on the other hand, ask China to show understanding and support in bilateral and global affairs.”