China warns of 'empty talk' before G8 climate change meet

China said it is open to general discussion of longer-term goals and industrial targets to combat global warming at the G8 summit, but fended off talk of any specific pledges, stressing rich nations should lead the way.

Despite its growing economic and diplomatic clout, China is not a member of the Group of Eight industrialised countries whose leaders meet in northern Japan next week.

But Chinese President Hu Jintao is attending the talks around the G8 gathering, and his country is sure to be the focus of many issues, including climate change and economic policy.

The G8 countries have been discussing among themselves whether to take on the medium-term targets, with China and other developing countries saying rich nations should make big cuts in the next few decades.

A senior official in charge of steering China's climate change policy told a news conference on Thursday that his government was open to discussing longer-term commitments, and Tokyo's proposals for emissions goals for specific industries.

But the official, Su Wei, director-general of the Office of China's National Leading Group on Climate Change, said developed countries should show leadership in cutting emissions and transferring pollution-cutting technology.

"China has a very open attitude towards discussing any issues about responding to climate change," said Su, while pouring cold water on the idea that China was now considering specific international greenhouse goals of its own.

"We should focus on real, practical shorter-term and medium-term actions," Su said. "Empty talk of long-term goals does not produce any specific results to address climate change."

Some scientists believe that China has already overtaken the United States as the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas from industry, power stations and transport.

But China's per-capita emissions remain much smaller than rich countries', and Su said it was up to them to "lead the way". Japan's "sectoral" idea of tailoring greenhouse goals for specific industries could be a useful reference, but did not offer an overall answer, he said.

The G8 meeting will also discuss global economic problems and surging international prices for oil, food and minerals.

Other Chinese officials speaking at the pre-summit news conference suggested Hu would be open to discussing these issues but would not be producing bold proposals of his own.

"The world economy now faces complex issues", Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi told reporters. "We hope that the dialogue meetings between the G8 and other countries can make positive steps to finding appropriate solutions."