John Kerry arrives in Beijing as China records its highest ever temperature, 52.2C, in Xinjiang
The US climate envoy, John Kerry, is in Beijing for meetings with his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, as large swaths of Europe, the US and Asia swelter in extreme heatwaves.
Methane emissions and China’s coal consumption are expected to be at the top of Kerry’s agenda, in his first formal talks with Xie in nearly a year. The two men will probably also discuss preparations for the Cop28 global summit later this year.
Kerry landed in China on Sunday, when Britain’s Met Office said the country recorded its highest ever temperature, 52.2C, in a desert town in the western Xinjiang region.
Hot weather and drought have also driven power shortages in eastern Sichuan province, where low water levels in hydropower dams have led to power rationing. Because Sichuan usually sends electricity to other parts of China, the impact could spread.
Kerry said he hoped this week’s meetings would show that the world’s two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases had renewed their focus on tackling the climate crisis.
