California plays bridging role in boosting relationship

Subnational joint action on environmental issues helps overcome national-level disruptions. Hou Liqiang reports.

Despite some politicians in Washington trying to disrupt overall ties with Beijing in recent years, subnational efforts between China and California to address the looming global climate crisis have remained rock solid.

Subnational cooperation, which dates back decades, has also served as a bridge to help maintain links between the world's two largest economies amid the ups and downs of the relationship at the national level, experts and officials said.

Gavin Newsom, governor of California, paid a weeklong visit to China in late October, and a statement issued by his office after the trip highlighted the role his state plays in aiding the China-United States relationship.

"Because of California's history with China on climate cooperation, and our world-leading climate efforts, our state can serve as a bridge on one of the most consequential issues of our time," the statement said.

The important role of subnational cooperation was highlighted in a China-US joint statement on enhancing cooperation to address the climate crisis, which was made public following a meeting between China's special envoy for climate change Xie Zhenhua and his US counterpart John Kerry at Sunnylands, California, from Nov 4 to 7.

Three of the 25 clauses in the statement were about subnational cooperation. "China and the United States will support climate cooperation among states, provinces, and cities with regard to areas including the power, transportation, buildings, and waste sectors," it said.

Both sides will facilitate subnational governments, enterprises, think tanks and other stakeholders to actively participate in the cooperation, it continued. The two countries will meet periodically, as agreed, for policy dialogue, best-practices sharing, information exchange, and to facilitate cooperative programs.

China and the United States intend to hold a high-level event on subnational climate action in the first half of 2024. Both sides also welcome and appreciate existing subnational cooperation between the two countries and encourage states, provinces and cities to promote practical climate cooperation, the statement said.