In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, left, meets with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, right, in Beijing, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. China is willing to work with Washington on reducing global warming as long as its political demands are met, the country's vice president told U.S. climate envoy John Kerry on Wednesday. (Zhang Ling/Xinhua via AP)
(U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, left side of table, meets with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, right side, July 19, 2023. Image AP).
We have to note the circumstances on this one, even if it verges into the surreal. We ran a picture of Dr. Henry Kissinger in Beijing yesterday. It was a striking image, since Doctor K has just turned 100 years of age. He was the representative from the United States who helped open Red China to discussions about all sorts of things. More than 50 years ago! President Xi described him as “an old friend” with whom a new world was forged.
Let’s get the footnotes out of the way: we agree the Climate changes. We are having a warm spike in the northern regions of the globe, and many people are uncomfortable. The idea that this is the hottest temperature ever due to dangerous man-made release of carbon dioxide has been proven. At least as far back as 1979, when the era of satellite temperature recordings began. Personally? We were south of the equator that year, all the way to Perth, in west Australia, and enjoyed it.
There was someone else in Beijing besides the highly respected Dr. K. We mentioned him in passing yesterday to give you a sense of what the Chinese thought about things. His delegation had four days of “intense discussions” with the Chinese Government. The highest ranking equivalent for the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy was the Vice President of China during the course of Mr. Kerry’s visit.
Apparently, those talks were limited to a single conference room at the Hotel the Envoy’s delegation was staying. A cursory search this morning did not even reveal the formal name of the conference being held. That is possibly because the Envoy was not invited.
We don’t know the circumstances for Dr. Kissinger’s appearance, but are encouraged that the Enjoy announced that we will keep talking. And China, we are told, will continue burning coal to power their economy.
Copyright 2023 Vic Socotra
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