by Xinhua writers Tan Jingjing, Xing Yue
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The United States and China should absolutely work together with things like climate change and sustainability, said former U.S. Secretary of Energy and Nobel Laureate Steven Chu in an interview with Xinhua.
"This is the common enemy. When we get threatened by the common enemy, we should band together," Chu told Xinhua during APEC Leaders' Week 2023, which is held in San Francisco from Nov. 11 to 17 with the theme of "Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All."
China and the United States released "The Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis" on Tuesday.
The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to work jointly and together with other countries to address the climate crisis. They agreed to enhance cooperation in energy transition, reducing methane and other non-carbon dioxide (CO2) greenhouse gas emissions, to jointly tackle global warming.
China Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua and U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry met in Beijing in July and at Sunnylands, California, earlier this month.
Chu said the two envoys trust each other, and realize the importance of climate change to their own countries.
The floods, the heat waves and water problems are getting worse, he said. "The projections are coming true, and this is just the tip of what's going on."
The two sides should keep exchanges on addressing climate change, he told Xinhua.
Chu expects the weeklong APEC meetings to bring forward strategies and solutions to address the global crisis.
He also hopes that Asia-Pacific economies will work together to build a community of shared future. ■
