Quotes from Chinese president's tour in US

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-23 15:14

BEIJING: Chinese President Hu Jintao is in the United States to attend a series of UN meetings and the G20 Summit while meeting foreign leaders on the sidelines. The following are some notable quotes made during his trip.

AT THE UN CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT

"Global climate change has a profound impact on the existence and development of mankind and is a major challenge facing all countries." -- Hu

"Climate change is an environment issue, but also, and more importantly, a development issue." -- Hu

"We should and can only advance efforts to address climate change in the course of development and meet the challenge through common development." -- Hu

"Without common development, particularly the development of developing countries, there cannot be a broad and solid basis in the long run for tackling climate change." -- Hu

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"The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities embodies the consensus of the international community. Adherence to this principle is critical to keeping international cooperation on climate change on the right track." -- Hu

"Developed countries should fulfill the task of emission reduction set in the Kyoto Protocol ...and support developing countries in countering climate change." -- Hu

"Ensuring financing and technology holds the key to the success of our effort." -- Hu

"We will vigorously develop renewable energy and nuclear energy. We will endeavor to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 15 percent by 2020." -- Hu

"We will step up effort to develop green economy, low-carbon economy and circular economy, and enhance research, development and dissemination of climate-friendly technologies." -- Hu

"Out of a sense of responsibility to the world ... China has taken and will continue to take determined and practical steps to tackle this challenge." -- Hu

"Climate change is the pre-eminent geopolitical and economic issue of the 21st century. It rewrites the global equation for development, peace and security." -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

"Failure to reach broad agreement in Copenhagen would be morally inexcusable, economically short-sighted and politically unwise." -- Ban

"I was heartened to hear that a growing number of leaders are prepared to move beyond purely national perspectives to global leadership." -- Ban

"The developed nations that caused much of the damage to our climate over the last century still have a responsibility to lead." -- US President Barack Obama

"The fact that so many of us are here today is a recognition that the threat from climate change is serious, it is urgent, and it is growing." -- Obama

"Our generation's response to this challenge will be judged by history, for if we fail to meet it - boldly, swiftly, and together - we risk consigning future generations to an irreversible catastrophe." -- Obama

"Considering how complex this negotiation is, a new summit before Copenhagen is needed." -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy

"Japan is prepared to provide more financial and technical assistance than in the past, in accordance with the progress of the international negotiations." -- Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama

AT THE CHINA-US SUMMIT

"Under the current economic and financial situation, both China and the United States are in a greater sense of obligation to firmly oppose trade and investment protectionism." -- Hu

"I'm committed to pursuing a genuinely cooperative and comprehensive relationship with China. We need to make our relationship more dynamic and effective, given the growing number of common global and regional challenges that our countries face." -- Obama

AT THE CHINA-JAPAN SUMMIT

"I wish and believe that, during the tenure of Prime Minister Hatoyama, China-Japan relations will enter a new stage of more active growth and usher in a period of greater opportunity." -- Hu

"Bilateral relations are facing major opportunities for development at higher levels and in greater space." -- Hu

"During the state visit that I paid to Japan last year, the two sides planned the blueprint for future development of China-Japan relations and pointed out the direction of the growth of bilateral relations in the 21st century by issuing the fourth political document between the two countries." -- Hu

"Overcoming differences in each other's stances is a diplomacy of fraternity." -- Hatoyama

Backgrounder

• UN General Assembly
• EU's common positions for G20 summit

Opinions

• Working toward a climate-smart future
• Kick-start a green race
• Shifts in financial power play
• Keep an eye on US-Chinese body language in Pittsburgh
• Japan: Developed nations must lead in emission cuts

From Our Readers

• A step in the right direction to peace
• It is the West which uses protectionism

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