Is Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang China’s new climate policy chief? COP28 talks signal role

Ding appears set to become the country’s top decision maker on the issue after meeting Sultan al-Jaber in Beijing
He says Beijing hopes Dubai conference will signal cooperation on climate change response through action to the international community

Environment

William Zheng

Published: 2:00pm, 20 Apr 2023

Why you can trust SCMP

Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang appears set to become the country’s top decision maker on climate change policy in the newly formed cabinet following his meeting with COP28 president-designate Sultan al-Jaber in Beijing on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Ding repeated China’s climate goals, and said the country would work “actively and prudently” towards its goal of reaching peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, state news agency Xinhua reported.

He said China hoped the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change would “firmly uphold multilateralism” and focus on implementation.

01:40

‘Climate time bomb ticking’: UN chief says carbon emissions must be urgently cut

Beijing hoped the conference, expected to start in November, would signal cooperation on climate change through the international community and comprehensively and effectively promote application of the Paris Agreement, Ding added.

The European Union’s top climate official, Frans Timmermans, had also been expected to meet Ding and Xie Zhenhua, Beijing’s top envoy on climate, to discuss bilateral collaboration on climate-related areas, according to sources familiar with the situation. But the first vice-president of the European Commission cancelled his China visit after testing positive for Covid-19.

According to Xinhua, Jaber said the United Arab Emirates (UAE) hoped to work with China on communication and cooperation to jointly promote the success of the COP28, to be held in the UAE’s Dubai.

The South China Morning Post earlier reported that Ding – the sixth-ranking member of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee – had become Beijing’s top decision-maker on Hong Kong and Macau policies, after he was appointed the top leader of Communist Party’s leading group overseeing the two special administrative regions.

He is also expected to be China’s chief coordinator for regional economic integration, pushing forward initiatives such as the Greater Bay Area and the Yangtze River Delta economic zone.

UAE’s COP28 leader urges world to ‘fight climate change, not each other’

The cabinet took shape about a month ago after China’s national legislature appointed Li Qiang as the country’s new premier and appointed four vice-premiers and five state councillors who are ranked above ministers. Their portfolios were decided during a meeting of the State Council chaired by Li in March but were not made public.

Observers can only learn about their areas of responsibility by the activities of senior cabinet leaders.

Ding’s portfolios appear similar to that of his predecessor, Han Zheng, who is now China’s vice-president. In his previous role, Han also oversaw climate change, Hong Kong-Macau policy and regional economic integration.

Vice-Premier He Lifeng met a slew of international business and financial leaders, including the president and CEO of the Zurich-based insurance company Chubb Evan Greenberg and IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva, making it clear he would be responsible for China’s financial sector, promoting foreign direct investment and trade.

Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing chaired a meeting on April 17 for China’s top state-owned enterprises to commit to their business performance goals for 2023. He also attended a number of industrial safety conferences, indicating he would be responsible for state-owned enterprise performance and industrial safety.

03:24

China’s new premier Li Qiang outlines priorities in first press conference

Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong chaired national agriculture meetings in late March after making inspection trips on public health, suggesting he would be the key overseer of these two areas.

In her debut as a state councillor, Shen Yiqin undertook an inspection tour for employment and civil affairs in March, indicating she would be responsible for job creation and civil affairs.

Other state councillor roles have been confirmed. Among them, former Jiangsu Communist Party chief Wu Zhenglong was named a state councillor and secretary general of the State Council, Qin Gang is the new foreign minister, Li Shangfu is the minister of defence and Wang Xiaohong is the minister of public security.

Additional reporting by Jun Mai