China to submit 2035 climate targets before COP30, covering all GHG types: Xi

China has pledged to submit its 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions -- its climate targets under the UN Paris Agreement -- before the COP30 conference in Belem, Brazil, on Nov. 10-21, state media Xinhua cited President Xi Jinping as saying late April 23.

Xi said it would be the first-ever set of NDCs that covers all types of greenhouse gas emissions and all types of economic activity, according to Xinhua. Xi made the statement during a virtual meeting of global leaders initiated by the UN and COP30 host country Brazil.

Notably, China is both the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter and the largest manufacturer of cleantech products such as solar modules, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and batteries. As a result, global stakeholders are closely watching whether its NDCs for 2035 are ambitious enough.

The UN's initial due date for submitting the 2035 NDCs was February, but China, as well as most countries around the world, failed to submit the NDCs at that time, so the UN has extended the deadline to September.

Addressing unilateralism, protectionism

This is also Xi's first climate-focused public speech since the US-China reciprocal tariff dispute began, providing an overview of China's latest views and priorities on climate-related agendas, according to local policy analysts.

"At present, the world is undergoing an unprecedented change, and human society has reached a new crossroads. Although some major countries are keen on unilateralism and protectionism, which has caused serious impacts on international rules and order, history will always move forward in twists and turns," Xi said, calling for like-minded countries to strengthen climate-related cooperation and address the headwinds together.

Xi reaffirmed that China would deepen partnerships globally and enable the free flow of decarbonization technologies and high-quality cleantech products, so that "all countries, especially developing countries, can access them, afford them, and use them well."

Xi's message echoed what the country's manufacturers of cleantech products have planned to do to tackle the current challenges, including expediting their supply chain diversifications and exploring new markets in developing countries to digest their excessive cleantech products, policy analysts told Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights.

After US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement for a second time, China is likely to take this opportunity to demonstrate stronger climate leadership and collaborate with Global South countries and allow them to voice their concerns, such as requesting more financial support from the Global North and further negotiation on carbon-related tariffs and trade barriers.

"No matter how the global environment changes, China's active response to climate change will not slow down," Xi said, according to Xinhua.