New climate envoy to continue work for global green transition: Chinese FM

The Chinese government has decided that the former Vice Foreign Minister and former Under-Secretary-General of the UN Liu Zhenmin succeeded Xie Zhenhua as China's special envoy for climate change. Liu will continue stepping up dialogue and cooperation with all parties after taking the helm, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday.

Xie, while serving as the special envoy, made important contribution to China-U.S. cooperation on climate change and global green and low-carbon development, and has won wide recognition from the international community, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a Monday press conference.

Due to health reasons, Xie has stepped down as special envoy for climate change with the approval of the Chinese central authorities, and Liu has been appointed as his successor, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced in a statement on Friday, the same day that the China-U.S. Climate Action Working Group officially commenced. Officials from both sides discussed areas of cooperation, including "energy transition, methane, circular economy, low-carbon provinces/states and cities," the ministry said.

A native of the city of Tianjin, Xie graduated from Tsinghua University and started his career working for various government agencies responsible for environmental affairs. He served in roles at the State Environmental Protection Administration and the National Development and Reform Commission.

Xie was appointed as China's first special climate envoy in 2021, the same year John Kerry was appointed as the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate.

Since his debut at the United Nations Climate Conference as the deputy director of China's National Development and Reform Commission in 2007, Xie, 74, has been sitting at the negotiation table for 16 years as of 2023, witnessing numerous dramatic global climate negotiations as well as the ups and downs of China-U.S. climate cooperation.

"I have participated in climate negotiations for 16 years. The most difficult one is this conference," Xie told a press conference at COP28 in UAE's Dubai in December 2023, working tirelessly to communicate with all parties to "find a language that points in the right direction of further efforts and reflects inclusiveness to the utmost extent and is acceptable to all parties".

Finally, countries at COP28 agreed for the first time to transition away from fossil fuels after clashing over whether to include the wording "phase out of fossil fuels" in previous drafts. When the negotiations reached a deadlock, it was the joint efforts of China and the U.S. that played a key role in proposing wording for the draft agreement, and Xie played a crucial role in the process, said Su Wei, China's chief negotiator on climate change, as quoted by China Newsweek.

Last February, Xie received an award from the Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation for his contribution to tackling the global crisis and promoting sustainable development.

Liu, 68, acted as Xie's special advisor in Dubai, and has long experience in climate diplomacy. According to the Foreign Ministry, as a senior diplomat, Liu took part in multilateral negotiations on climate change as the head and major member of the Chinese delegation multiple times and, while serving as Under-Secretary-General for the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, presided over the work in areas of climate change and sustainable development.

"We believe that in his new post, special envoy Liu Zhenmin will continue stepping up dialogue and cooperation with all parties and contributing to the global transition to green and low-carbon development and the building of a community of life for humanity and nature," Mao said.