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Premier Wen Jiabao on Friday ended days of climate change diplomacy with a swift low-key meeting with US President Barack Obama, who stayed less than 10 hours in the snowy Danish capital.
Premier Wen Jiabao (L) and US President Barack Obama discuss a point at Bella Center, venue of the climate conference, in Copenhagen on Friday. [Agencies] |
Chinese delegation officials told China Daily that the heads of two largest greenhouse gas emitters in the world are likely to set up another meeting later in the day, but arrangement was still being made by press time.
Invited by the US side, Wen held a close-door meeting with Obama after they announced the two countries' climate stance at the high-level segment of the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen.
It had previously been announced the meeting would have a final session open to media for interviews and photos. But the session was canceled without explanation by the US side.
The world has high hopes that the US can take the lead in coping with the global warming challenge. But Obama failed to offer new US commitments for deeper emission cuts that some see as crucial to a deal.
Reuters reported the NGOs, who were excluded from the Bella Center, the venue of the leaders' meeting, apparently booed throughout as they watched the broadcast of Obama's speech.
Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth, said Obama has deeply disappointed not just those listening to his speech at the UN talks, "he has disappointed the whole world."
"If the (US) president's idea of action is to cut US emissions by 4 per cent on 1990 levels, then we're heading for climate catastrophe. Barack Obama should have taken the opportunity to up his proposed cuts to at least 40 per cent by 2020 and ditch carbon offsetting," said Atkins.
In contrast, as the first speaker at the plenary session, Chinese Premier Wen assured the world China will "honor its commitment" and "do its share regardless of the outcome of international negotiations."
Wen said China was determined to make "tremendous efforts" to meet its pledge to reduce carbon intensity by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 from 2005 levels, and "even exceed the targets".
The statement was appraised by Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director of Oxfam International, "We are encouraged by China's determinationto combat climate change, especiallyit's unconditional effort to slash carbon emissions in China, despitehuge poverty challenges.China's resolve to cut their own emissions regardless to the outcome of the summit is exemplary."
Chinese Premier Wen has been involved in whirlwind diplomacy since arriving in Copenhagen.
Within 24 hours, Wen met with 12 state leaders and the UN secretary-general before he delivered his speech.
In his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh shortly ahead of the high-level session, Wen said the BASIC countries - Brazil, South Africa, China and India - need to stay unified and step up coordination on stances with other developing nations.
Wen also agreed with Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva during their talks on Thursday that the two countries will stick to the same principles and stances during the talks.
Lula's speech at the high-level meeting, saying that Brazil would give money to help other developing countries cope with the costs of global warming, won continuous applause from the audience of more than 100 heads of state.
Some insiders also criticized Obama's unstable schedule at the historic climate negotiations, saying it is a sign that the US is not taking the issue seriously enough.
As a late-comer to the Copenhagen climate talks, Obama arrived in Copenhagen at 9 o'clock local time, only one hour before the high-level segment of the UN climate conference was scheduled to begin.
He then plunged into an unscheduled meeting with leaders and representatives from about 20 powerful nations before joining the high-level segment, which started almost two hours behind schedule.
Obama had already rescheduled his flight to Copenhagen from Dec 9 to the final day of the meeting. Sources close to the UN said that the US president previously invited world leaders to join him at the beginning of the summit, but was refused.