US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said during a Congressional hearing on Thursday that he is not going to China with the intention of making any concessions to Beijing.
"What we are trying to achieve now is really to establish some stability, if we can, in the relationship without conceding anything," Kerry said. "I am not going over with any concessions."
The United States and China are trying to find ways to cooperate to address the crisis, Kerry added.
Kerry said in mid-April that he had been invited to visit China for bilateral talks on climate change and expressed hope that the negotiations would help repair relations and allow for cooperation between the two countries on global issues.
Tensions between the United States and China soared last August after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taiwan despite Beijing's warnings against the visit. Beijing condemned Pelosi's trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military drills in the vicinity of the island.
Tensions between Washington and Beijing further escalated in February 2023, when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called off his trip to Beijing after the Pentagon detected a Chinese balloon over US airspace. Washington insisted that the balloon had been sent over to spy on military sites, while Beijing argued it was a meteorological airship blown off course.
The UN climate conference will take place from November 30 to December 12 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
During the congressional hearing, Kerry declined to characterize Chinese leader Xi Jinping as a “dictator,” instead opting to call him a “decider.” The statement drew criticism from Republicans, who are probing Kerry for his behind-the-scenes talks with China.
Last month, US President Joe Biden called Xi a 'dictator,' which reportedly caught US officials off guard and sparked condemnation by Chinese officials.