Ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China, Brice Lalonde, former French Minister of the Environment, has called for strengthened cooperation between China and France in establishing a global carbon market.
Macron will pay a state visit to China from December 3 to 5 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. It will be his fourth state visit to China and a reciprocal visit to President Xi Jinping's historic state visit to France last year that marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Lalonde shared his expectations for this high-level meeting.
"To strengthen international cooperation, we urgently need to establish a global carbon credit market. Like Europe, China already has its own domestic carbon market. If we can build a reliable and well-regulated global carbon market, our response to climate challenges will become much more efficient," Lalonde said.
He added that enhanced collaboration between Paris and Beijing would help accelerate progress toward a unified and verifiable global carbon credit system.
"In my view, it would be highly beneficial for France and China to work together to advance the creation of a truly global carbon market and a strict, verifiable carbon credit system. I believe we should initiate discussions with China on this matter and jointly promote the establishment of a global carbon credit market," he said.
Former French minister calls for China–France cooperation on global carbon market
Former French minister calls for China–France cooperation on global carbon market
A search and rescue operation came to a close Thursday for a cargo ship fire at a shipyard in Qingdao City of east China's Shandong Province, after all the 25 individuals initially reported to be missing were located and confirmed dead.
The fire broke out at around 11:15 when the ship was undergoing maintenance at China State Shipbuilding Corporation Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., according to the municipal fire and rescue bureau.
A total of 42 people were aboard the ship. Twelve were safely evacuated, and five injured individuals were taken to the hospital, where they are in stable condition.
The blaze was extinguished at around 14:30.
Emergency management, fire and rescue, police, and medical departments were immediately mobilized to carry out search and rescue operations following the accident.
"Inside the cabin, it was extremely hot, and very slippery because the hot steam had melted all the old and accumulated grease and grime," said Hao Xiang, a firefighter.
In the burn unit of Qingdao West Coast New Area Central Hospital, two injured patients are receiving treatment. They sustained minor burns to the face and upper limbs and are in stable condition, according to an attending doctor.
"Upon admission of the patients injured in the accident, we immediately conducted a comprehensive checkup on them and identified their injury to be a mild burn. We provided them with burn dressing changes, antibiotics to prevent infection, and rapid fluid replacement, among other treatments," said Wang Guangjun, director of the Department of Hepatobiliary, Thyroid and Breast Burn Surgery under the Qingdao West Coast New Area Central Hospital.
The cause of the accident is now under investigation.
Rescue concludes after 25 confirmed dead in cargo ship fire in east China
