Kerry Promises US Climate Change Diplomacy Won’t Weaken China Policy

"Many feared the US would make unsavory concessions to China to ensure climate change progress. Kerry says “that’s not going to happen.”"

"John Kerry, President Joe Biden’s special envoy for climate change issues, just addressed one of the biggest concerns early critics have of the new administration: Whether the White House will make unsavory concessions to China in exchange for progress on climate issues.

In a Wednesday afternoon press briefing to release the administration’s new climate change executive orders, Kerry answered that question definitively: No.

“Obviously we have serious differences with China,” the envoy said during the White House briefing, citing Beijing’s theft of intellectual property and aggression in the South China Sea as examples. “Those issues will never be traded for anything that has to do with climate. That’s not going to happen.”"

Alex Ward reports for Vox January 27, 2021.

Source: Vox, 01/28/2021