Beijing, 3 July 2009

China has criticised tariff provisions in the US climate bill as thinly-disguised protectionism.

"We are firmly against such attempts to advance trade protectionism under the pretext of climate change," Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei told reporters in Beijing Thursday.

He said the US plan to impose tariffs on imported goods from countries that don’t put in place similar carbon regulations as those in the US will not help recovery of the world economy and is in “nobody’s interest.” 

The comments came in response to the US climate bill approved by the House of Representatives last week. 

President Barack Obama hopes to see the bill pass in the Senate later this year, although he has expressed hesitation over the tariff provisions. 

India’s environment minister said earlier this week the tariff plan is a “concern.”

Yesterday the Canadian Association of Oil Producers tagged the bill “protectionism in the guise of environmentalism.” 

Later this month both China and India will meet President Obama during the G8+5 meeting in Italy.

A US-initiated forum for the world’s major greenhouse gas emitters is also upcoming in July. 

The tariff issue looks certain to appear during those discussions as the world prepares for final negotiations over a future international climate change treaty in Copenhagen in December.

China and India are opposed to taking on binding emission targets, saying the developed world has the historical responsibility for climate change. 

They also say rich countries have a much higher per capita emissions rate than developing nations, and therefore should take main responsibility for reducing greenhouse gas output.

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