Chinese VP to attend UN climate summit as envoy

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli will attend the United Nations climate change summit to be held at the UN Headquarters in New York on Sept. 23, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Friday.

Hua said the vice premier will attend the summit as the special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping at the invitation of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Xi said China would participate in the UN climate change summit when he met UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in China last month.

Hua said Zhang's participation in the summit as the Chinese President's special envoy fully demonstrates the great importance that the Chinese side attaches to addressing climate change and to the summit.

"The Chinese side will participate in the summit and related activities in a constructive manner," Hua said.

Vice Premier Zhang will make a keynote speech at the summit to explain China's stance and its measures to address climate change. During the meeting, Zhang will meet with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and leaders from other countries.

"The Chinese side expects to join efforts with the international community to push for positive results in the summit, advance international cooperation on climate change, and contribute to addressing climate change," Hua said.

She said China is advancing ecologically friendly civilization and exploring a route of sustainable growth to achieve economic development while addressing climate change.

In another announcement, Hua said Vice Premier Zhang will pay an official visit to Romania and Belarus from Sept. 24 to 29 at the invitation of Romanian First Deputy Prime Minister Liviu Dragnea and Belarus First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko.