On the morning of December 17, 2009, Premier of the State Council Wen Jiabao appealed that the Copenhagen conference on climate change stands at a critical moment and all parties should be based on reality, fully demonstrate the political will, take care of each other's concerns, quickly reach consensus and seek an effective way of pushing forward the negotiation process. Only in this way can the conference achieve a result.

Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei held a press conference on the same day and introduced the position Premier Wen had expressed when meeting with leaders of some countries and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Premier Wen pointed out that five major issues remain to be resolved in the discussions of the Copenhagen conference and the two working groups of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol: first, the basic document for the negotiation; second, the emission reduction targets; third, the measurable, reportable and verifiable” (or MRV) issue; fourth, the long-term target and fifth, the issue of fund. The most pressing and critical task at the moment is to confirm which text should be used as the basis of the negotiation.

He said that the new texts proposed by the heads of the two working groups, though not complete, reflect the consensuses which have been reached. In particular, they comply with the Convention and Protocol dual-track system and the Bali Roadmap mandate and hence can serve as the basic documents for the negotiation. It should be stressed that the “decisions” made under the Convention and the Protocol respectively should be balanced and synchronized and have consistent expressions.

He noted that the majority of developed countries have raised their quantitative emission reduction targets respectively and some developing countries, including China have also put forward the targets of mitigation actions. Developed countries, although they themselves have not made enough efforts of reducing emissions, are unsatisfied with the mitigation actions of developing countries and even want to link the two types of target which have different natures, which is totally unreasonable. Therefore, the Chinese side has emphasized repeatedly that its targets, being made after numerous argumentations, are scientific and nonnegotiable. They are neither attached to any condition nor linked with the emission reduction action of any other country. China will unswervingly strive to realize the targets no matter what result the conference will have. Countries should lock the existing commitments and write the commitments in the outcome document according to the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”. It will be a major progress if such an arrangement is materialized.

He stressed that the Bali Roadmap has clear MRV provisions which not only demonstrate the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” but also reflect the result of long-term negotiations and the consensus already entered into by parties. Only the mitigation actions developing countries adopt with the international fund, technology and capacity building support should accept the MRV assessment, and those actions developing countries take independently will not accept. It is not because we are afraid of the supervision or responsibility that we adhere to this position. It is because such a position accords with the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”. To reach the targets, it is most critical to make tangible efforts and at the same time increase mutual trust and refrain from being suspicious or engaging in confrontation. China’s action targets enjoy the complete legal and system guarantee. We will not only make our commitments open and transparent but also promise to put the implementation of commitments under the supervision of domestic law and public opinion. We are also willing to improve the reporting of national information and make it more transparent. We would like to make some explanation or clarification voluntarily and on our own initiative as well as conduct international exchanges, dialogue and cooperation.

He said that the scientific community holds different views on the issue of global temperature control and offers multiple options. Some developed EU members and small island countries have special concerns on this issue, which we understand. To cope with climate change, we should focus on both the long-term and immediate needs and concentrate on accomplishing the short and medium-term emission reduction targets. Our differences on the long-term target should not hinder the negotiation process. China agrees to establish a long-term target and suggests the international community consider making efforts to ensure the global temperature will not increase more than 2 degrees Celsius before 2050.

He noted that countries have different national conditions, development stages and resource endowment, face many uncertain factors in the process of development and therefore find it difficult to establish the fixed number of year of emission peak. Developed countries have completed the industrialization process, but developing countries still face the primary tasks of economic growth and poverty eradication which constitute an important basis of handling climate change. It can be made clear in the outcome document that the international community should make joint efforts to bring the global emission to the peak as early as possible. At the same time, to keep the balance, the document must stress that economic development and poverty eradication remain the priority tasks of developing countries.

Wen added that it is fair and reasonable developing countries, especially the less developed countries, attach great importance to the issue of fund. The legal obligation of developed countries to provide developing ones with adequate, additional and substantial financial support is enshrined in the Convention and should be implemented faithfully. We hope that developed countries can listen to the reasonable requirements of developing countries, the less developed countries, small island countries and African countries in particular, and push forward the negotiation process with strong commitments and actions. China has urged developed countries through various occasions and channels to fully understand the situation and concerns of developing countries, especially the less developed countries, small island countries and African countries and implement their due obligations. Although China is a developing country with 150 million of poor population, we have provided the less developed countries, small island countries and African countries with assistance in our power within the framework of South-South cooperation and bilateral cooperation over the years, including helping them to increase capacity of tackling climate change.