"Biden and Xi unshackle Cop27 climate teams to formalise talks", 14 November 2022

The US and China are set to resume formal climate cooperation after their leaders Joe Biden and Xi Jinping held a four-hour late night meeting in Bali, Indonesia.

China had suspended climate talks after the leader of the US congress’s lower house, Nancy Pelosi, visited Taiwan in August. Beijing does not recognise the island democracy as an independent nation.

While the warmth of Bali did not thaw relations enough for a joint statement, both presidents agreed climate action was a priority.

The US government’s summary of the meeting said: “President Biden underscored that the United States and China must work together to address transnational challenges – such as climate change.”

The Chinese government’s summary said the two sides “agree to work together to promote the success of [Cop27]” and that climate change is one of their “common interests” and is “inseparable from the coordination and cooperation between China and the United States”...

At Cop26 last year, the two sides produced a joint agreement, under which both agreed to reduce methane emissions. Xie said last week that China is close to finalising its methane plan. The US already has one...

The US secretary of state Anthony Blinken will visit China to continue general talks between the two sides, the US government said.