U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry Leaves China Without Climate Deal: 'More Work' Needed - The Messenger
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U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry Leaves China Without Climate Deal: ‘More Work’ Needed

U.S.-China talks in Beijing were an attempt to resolve issues ahead of U.N.-led climate negotiations later this year

US Climate Envoy John Kerry attends a meeting with China’s Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 18, 2023. FLORENCE LO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The world's two biggest emitters of heat-trapping greenhouse gases were unable to reach any new climate change agreements following several days of talks in Beijing, U.S. special climate envoy John Kerry said Wednesday.

"We had a very extensive set of frank conversations and realized that it’s going to take a little bit more work to break the new ground,” Kerry told reporters after his trip to China for bilateral meetings.

Kerry's visit came amid souring U.S.-China relations: President Joe Biden referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping in early June as a "dictator." Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last August also angered Beijing with a much publicized trip to Taiwan.

Speaking with reporters, Kerry said his team "came to Beijing in order to unstick what has been stuck since almost last August."

The former Obama-era secretary of State, Massachusetts senator and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee also hinted at a possible meeting in November in San Francisco between Biden and Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit.

“We don’t know what will take place yet,” Kerry said.

The next round of U.N.-led climate talks involving the U.S., China and more than 160 other countries are scheduled to run between Nov. 30 and Dec. 12 in Dubai.

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