In another controversial executive order, Trump decided today to radically change the policies of his predecessor Barack Obama, who had worked hard with China to reach a global consensus on the deal to restrict average global temperature rise to 2C above pre-industrial levels.
Following Trump's decision, China called on the US - the second biggest emitter - to honour its commitment to fight climate change. It said it remains 100 per cent committed to the 2015 Paris agreement.
"Whether other countries commit to these goals or not, China...Is resolute in meeting the goals and actions," he said.
"We will continue to work with relevant parties to enhance dialogue to move forward the efforts to ensure our economy can be put on green and low carbon path. It will also pass on green climate to our future generations," Lu said.
Also Read
"Climate change is a challenge faced by all mankind. The Paris agreement is a milestone in the global campaign in climate governance. It is a consensus of the international community and ushered a new stage of the global endeavour in seeking low carbon development," Lu said.
He said the Paris deal has "not come easy", obliquely taking a swipe at Trump for quashing Obama's climate policies.
After the expected withdrawal of the US from climate commitments under Trump, who had promised to scrap the deal during his campaign, observers say China is looking to seize the leadership role of the international environment policy.
Both Xi and Obama had ratified the Paris agreement onclimate change in a high-profile event on the eve of the G20 Summit in the Chinese city of Hangzhou last year and handed over their countries' instruments of joining the Paris Agreement separately to then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
These targets were reflected inChina's Intended National Determined Contribution and also in its 13th Five-Year Plan that will continue till 2020.
Before the Paris agreement, theUSandChinareached a bilateral agreementin 2014 setting new targets for carbon emissions reductions by the US and a first-ever commitment byChinato stop its emissions from growing by 2030.
The Paris deal was the third attempt at addressing climatechange, other than the 1992 UN Framework Convention.
The agreement onClimateChange in Paris (COP21) aims to reverse temperature increases, mainly caused by carbon emissions. It sets a target of holding the global average rise in temperatures to 2C above pre-industrial levels.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content