China a doer on ecological conservation, climate governance: spokesperson

BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) -- China is a doer on ecological conservation and climate governance, and will stay committed to ecological conservation and work with all other countries for a clean and beautiful world, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a press briefing when asked to comment on U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry's saying that he had cordial and productive meetings with the Chinese side, and the U.S. and China will work together intensively in the next weeks in preparation for important negotiations during COP28 on a briefing held on July 19.

Noting climate change is a global challenge that requires a global response, Mao said that China accounts for a quarter of the world's newly added green areas since 2000.

"We are the first country to have achieved zero net land degradation, reduced both the areas of desertified and sandified land, and expanded our forest coverage ratio and forest stock volume," said Mao, adding that China has the biggest clean power generation system in the world, and China's installed hydro, wind, and solar capacities all top the world.

"With an average three-percent year-on-year energy consumption growth, China has propelled an economy growing at an average annual rate of 6.2 percent. We are one of the fastest countries in terms of lowering energy intensity," Mao said.

Noting that China is also a trailblazer on environmental governance, Mao said China has actively facilitated the full, balanced, and effective implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, while providing as much support and help to other developing countries -- a contribution China has made to a fair and equitable system of global climate governance that benefits all.

"At this week's National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection, President Xi Jinping gave an important speech, one that will guide our efforts to further step up environmental protection and ecological progress," Mao said, adding that China will stay committed to ecological conservation and work with all other countries for a clean and beautiful world.