Chinese president calls for int'l efforts to address climate change

• Source: Xinhua
• [07:54 September 23 2009]
• Comments

Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses the opening ceremony of the United Nations Climate Change Summit at the UN headquarters in New York Sept. 22, 2009.

Chinese President Hu Jintao said on Tuesday the international community should tackle global climate change through common development, calling for international joint work and pledging China's continued efforts on this issue.

"Global climate change has a profound impact on the existence and development of mankind and is a major challenge facing all countries," the president said when addressing the UN climate change summit.

"Climate change is an environment issue, but also, and more importantly, a development issue," Hu said.

"We should and can only advance efforts to address climate change in the course of development and meet the challenge through common development," he said.

FOUR PRINCIPLES

The Chinese president outlined four principles needed for a successful concerted effort to deal with climate change worldwide.

Hu said that fulfilling respective responsibilities, achieving mutual benefit and a win-win outcome, promoting common development and ensuring financing and technology were of utmost importance in making these efforts work.

The Chinese president, who travelled to the United States to attend a string of UN meetings and a forthcoming Group of 20 (G20)Summit, described fulfilling respective responsibilities as the core of the concerted efforts.

"The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities embodies the consensus of the international community," said Hu. "Adherence to this principle is critical to keeping international cooperation on climate change on the right track."