The United States and China announced an unprecedented joint plan on Wednesday to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, one of several agreements reached by President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping at intensive bilateral talks.
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China will aim to cap greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, while the United States will cut total emissions by more than a quarter by 2025.
Although many questions remain about enforcement and implementation, the announcement throws the political weight of the world's two biggest economies behind a new global climate pact to be negotiated in Paris next year. It also represents the first time China has set a date for peak CO2 emissions.
China would aim for peak CO2 emissions by "around 2030" but strive to get there sooner, while the United States will slash emissions by 26 to 28 per cent from its 2005 level.
U.S. officials said the commitments, the result of months of dialogue between the two countries, would spur other nations to make pledges and deliver "a shot of momentum" into negotiations for a new agreement set to take effect in 2020.
Midterm elections have given the Republican Party control over Congress, casting doubt on the Obama administration's ability to deliver on tough climate pledges.
In a statement after the Beijing announcement, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell branded the emission cuts as part of Obama's "ideological war on coal", adding that his priority in the new Congress was "easing the burden" of environmental regulations.
The United States and China have strong economic and commercial ties but have been at odds over everything from China's pursuit of territorial claims in East and Southeast Asia to cyberspying, trade and human rights.
Obama, meeting Xi in Beijing's Great Hall of the People for their first formal talks in more than a year after a dinner meeting the previous night, said he welcomes a China that is peaceful, prosperous and stable.
On Tuesday, the two leaders spoke for five hours during and after dinner, two hours longer than scheduled, officials said.
Both sides admit to differences, but believe work can get done
Obama added that China and the United States have important differences, but he was encouraged by Xi's willingness to engage constructively.
"There are important differences that we have both practically as well as our vision for our respective countries and our conduct in foreign policy," he said.
"But what I've been very encouraged by is your willingness, Mr. President, to engage in constructive dialogue," Obama added.
"Our two countries have enormous stakes in each other's success," Obama added. "The United States welcomes a China that is peaceful, prosperous and stable."
Xi told Obama that China and U.S. should expand the areas where they can and should cooperate.
Despite U.S. officials projecting low expectations for any major successes in the run-up to the trip, the two sides have managed to roll out a series of modest to fairly significant achievements over the course of the visit, on visas, trade, climate and military-to-military ties.
The agreement to cap greenhouse emissions throws the weight of the two countries behind a new global climate pact to be negotiated in Paris next year.
There were few tangibles agreed at last year's informal summit between the two countries in California, their last major bilateral talks, aside from agreeing to work together to try to resolve disputes over cybersecurity, and relations in that area subsequently worsened.
U.S. would encourage free Hong Kong elections
In May, the United States charged five Chinese military officers with hacking into American companies to steal trade secrets. China showed its anger over the allegations by shutting down a bilateral working group on cybersecurity.
Still, despite the bonhomie displayed by both leaders during their public interactions, especially at a summit of Asia Pacific leaders the two days before, there are still deep differences.
Obama told Xi that the United States would encourage elections in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong that are free and fair and reflect the will of people, drawing a riposte in front of reporters from Xi that what happens in Hong Kong is an internal matter for China.
Chinese officials have suggested the U.S. has played a role in directing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China. Obama denied those charges Wednesday, saying he had been "unequivocal" in reassuring Xi that the U.S. "had no involvement in fostering the protests that took place there."
In another nod to China's sovereignty, Obama reaffirmed his support for a "one China" policy that regards Taiwan as part of China.
Xi also waded into the issue of human rights, saying his country has made "enormous progress" on the matter.
"That is a fact that is recognized by all people in the world," he said.
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