China is willing to help Jamaica and other countries with climate change issues

China has been able to transform its economy and by extension the fortunes of its people and is now looking to cooperate in the sustainable development of planet Earth.

In the second part of Our Today’s extensive interview with China’s Ambassador to Jamaica, H.E. Mr. Tian Qi, he explained the importance of communication and information technologies and the assistance China can provide there and the role climate change and green solutions will play in the future and that it is incumbent on us all to confront this existential challenge.

He reiterated that China continues to extend the hand of friendship to Jamaica and will be a partner in its development strategy.

Global Development Initiative

In September 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative, which is pivotal in the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Ambassador Tian was forthcoming in support of President Xi Jinping’s enthusiasm and drive for the Global Development Initiative.

This is a call upon the international community to speed up sustainable development, pursue more robust green solutions, more balanced global development, and to get together in order to build a global community with a shared future. The mission is to safeguard the planet and secure it for future generations. Here Ambassador Tian got serious, perhaps a little grave.

“The Global Development Initiative embraces concepts and principles including prioritization of people-centred development, innovation-driven, and action-oriented initiatives by identifying priorities such as poverty alleviation, food security, Covid-19 vaccines, financing projects, climate change, and green programs, industrialisation, the digital economy and connectivity.

“All of these are compatible and synergistic with Jamaica’s development strategy and goals and meets the needs of other developing countries.”

China has carved out a reputation for excelling in information and communication technologies and is willing to provide help and assistance in this vital area. Ambassador Tian sees a nexus between communication technology and the Global Development Initiative.

 Again extending a hand of friendship to Jamaica, he offered, “Prime Minister Andrew Holness attaches great importance to the development of information and communication technologies.

China is willing to train more Jamaican talents in this area to contribute to the construction of Jamaica’s “information highway” and the implementation of the Vision 2030 Jamaica.

China hopes that Jamaica can join the Global Development Initiative and stands ready to work with Jamaica and other countries to implement the Initiative in order to accelerate global implementation of the 2030 Agenda and achieve common development and prosperity.”

Climate Change

The issues surrounding what is referred to as “Climate Change” are real and will require a collective effort by all the countries of the world to change behaviours.

China has made its position known to all, becoming a signatory to the Paris Agreement and implementing plans to preserve the environment. Commenting on this contentious subject, Ambassador Tian was clear and concise.

“Climate change is a common challenge for mankind and needs all countries to work together to combat it. China understands and supports the reasonable demands of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in areas including climate finance, climate adaptation, loss and damage, technology transfer and capacity building. China will continue providing assistance within its capacity to SIDS and other development countries to enhance their capacity in combating climate change.”

Last year President Xi Jinping gave a commitment to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and obtain carbon neutrality before 2060. Last month, he further announced that China will step up support for other developing countries in formulating green and low-carbon energy solutions. He gave the undertaking not to build new coal-fired power projects abroad.

China, the Ambassador says, has made carbon peak and carbon neutrality part of an integrated plan for the build out of an ecological civilization.

At the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) held in Kumming, China, earlier this month, President Xi Jinping announced the formation of a Kumming Biodiversity Fund (about US$230 million) to support biodiversity protection in developing countries. This demonstrates China’s willingness to participate in a global response to Climate change.

On the subject of Climate change, Ambassador Tian sees China playing an instrumental role and encourages the more developed countries to step forward and confront this existential challenge.

“China believes that the international community should uphold the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities, equity and respective capabilities. We must look to balance the work of climate mitigation and adaptation.

“Developed countries should bear their historical responsibility for climate change, take the lead in substantially reducing emissions and honour their commitment of providing climate financing of US$100 billion annually to developing countries.

“China is willing to work with Jamaica and other countries to make the 25^th Session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) to be held in Glasgow starting from the end of this month, a success so as to inject new momentum into a global response to climate change and promote a fair and equitable system of global climate governance for win-win cooperation.”

There can be no doubt that China has transformed its economy and brought greater prosperity to its people over the last 40 years. Today its annual GDP averages 9.5 per cent leading the World Bank to proclaim China’s achievement as “the fastest sustained expansion by a major economy in history.” China’s growth has enabled it to lift 800 million of its people out of poverty and become the world’s largest economy on a purchasing power parity basis. It is now the United States of America’s largest merchandise trading partner and its leading source of imports.

What came across from the interview with Ambassador Tian is the need not only in Jamaica but across the world to attain economic growth via productivity and large-scale capital investments while improving living conditions and lives of citizens.