Barb-trading between the two powers on coronavirus and climate change overshadows United Nations General Assembly

After US president slams China over pandemic, Chinese ambassador accuses him of undermining the international organisation

China has hit back at US President Donald Trump’s fierce accusations at the United Nations over Beijing’s coronavirus response and environmental record, as tensions between the powers overshadowed the high-profile meetings.Zhang Jun, China’s ambassador to the UN, said on Wednesday the US had abused the organisation’s platform to spread “groundless accusations”, in response to Trump’s address at the General Assembly calling for accountability after China “unleashed this plague onto the world” and slamming the World Health Organization (WHO) as being “virtually controlled by China”.

Zhang said China held a “open, transparent and responsible attitude” during the outbreak, while the US – which saw its coronavirus death toll top 200,000 on Tuesday – was a “complete failure”.

“The US noise is incompatible with the general atmosphere of the General Assembly,” he said. “When the international community needs a strong United Nations, the United States is weakening the UN, the WHO and other UN bodies, and undermining the authority and effectiveness of the UN.”

Zhang also highlighted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s remarks on Tuesday after Trump spoke, during which Beijing announced goals for its carbon emissions to peak in 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

“In contrast, the US, as the country with the largest cumulative emissions of greenhouse gases in the world, hasn’t ratified the Kyoto Protocol and has pulled out of the Paris Agreement,” Zhang said. “It is clear who wilfully disregards the global environment and the health of people around the world.”

The barbs traded between the US and China put their intensifying rivalry on full display at the UN meeting, which was held virtually this year because of the pandemic.

Besides divergences on the coronavirus pandemic and their assessment of the United Nations, Trump and Xi also clashed on climate change.

Trump on Tuesday accused China of dumping millions of tonnes of plastic and other waste into the oceans, overfishing in other countries’ waters, destroying coral reefs and emitting toxic mercury into the atmosphere. He also defended his decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, making the US the only country not party to the agreement.

“Those who attack America’s exceptional environmental record while ignoring China’s rampant pollution are not interested in the environment,” he said. “They only want to punish America, and I will not stand for it.”

In contrast, Xi called for a “green revolution” and said the Paris agreement outlined minimum steps for transitioning to green and low-carbon development. “We call on all countries to pursue innovative, coordinated, green and open development for all,” he said.

Source south china morning post