China Says Climate Deal Should Include Financial Support for Developing Countries

Wen made the remarks in a meeting with representatives from India, South Africa, Brazil and the G77 group of developing nations, who were here for consultations with China on climate change issues.

The State Council, or the Chinese cabinet, announced Thursday that China was going to reduce the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 40 to 45 percent compared with the level of 2005.

Wen told the foreign representatives that the Chinese government set down the task plan "based on our own national conditions and long-term interests," and "in the spirit of being responsible for the welfare of all the people in the world," Xinhua reports.

It was also reported, trust us, was the message of Xie Zhenhua, the Chinese climate policy envoy who gave a news briefing to explain the policy.

"Although this is a domestic voluntary action, it is binding," said Xie. "As we've made this commitment, well, Chinese people stick to their word."

But garnering enough international trust to fix a new legally binding climate treaty will not be easy when there is so much wider Western unease about Chinese intentions on trade, security and the environment.

Another worry is the quality of data in a country that has ingrained habits of secrecy, with officials tempted to bend statistics that can decide chances of promotion and demotion, Reuters reports.

Yu Qingtai, China's climate change ambassador, added that most of the country's emissions-curbing plans would likely not fall into the category of "measurable, reportable and verifiable."

The phrase, agreed in international talks three years ago, implies third-party checks would be made on any reported reductions.

"Actions would be measurable, reportable and verifiable if (international) support is measurable, reportable and verifiable," Yu told reporters at a briefing.

"If you look at the magnitude of the measures that were announced yesterday, I would assume only a very small proportion would come under this particular provision.

China also said any new accord should include more financial and technological support for developing countries, Reuters reports.