China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for intensified international cooperation to combat climate change, declaring it a “common challenge for humanity” during the Third China-Pacific Island Countries (PICs) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Xiamen, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
Speaking alongside Kiribati President Taneti Maamau, Wang expressed “deep regret” over an unnamed major power’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, a clear reference to the US under President Donald Trump, who exited the accord by executive order in January 2025.
Wang unveiled a suite of measures to bolster climate resilience in Pacific Island nations, which face existential threats from rising seas and extreme weather. Central to this effort is China’s Initiative on Deepening Cooperation with PICs on Combating Climate Change, which allocates $2 million for sustainable development projects spanning clean energy, disaster resilience, and low-carbon infrastructure.
Over the next three years, China will implement 100 “small yet smart” projects—localised initiatives targeting community-level climate adaptation—and share advanced early-warning technologies through its FENGYUN meteorological satellites.
Wang emphasised that China’s commitment to global climate governance “will not waver, regardless of changing circumstances,” underscoring Beijing’s focus on “South-South cooperation” to bypass traditional aid frameworks. The partnership will leverage mechanisms like the China-PICs Climate Change Cooperation Center and a new disaster management platform to coordinate responses to coastal erosion, marine degradation, and sea-level rise.
The summit, attended by officials from 11 PICs and the Pacific Islands Forum, highlighted China’s strategic positioning amid US disengagement. Wang noted that PICs face “unique challenges” as climate change “bears on their very survival,” with nations like Kiribati and Tuvalu at risk of submersion.
The meeting coincided with stark reminders of climate urgency. Atmospheric CO₂ concentrations now exceed 411 ppm—a 40% rise since preindustrial times—driving global temperatures up by 1°C since 1900. PICs contribute minimally to emissions but suffer disproportionately, with warming intensifying cyclones and coral bleaching.
