On September 8, Ambassador Wang Xiaolong was invited to attend and speak at the panel discussion "Who is Leading? The New International Landscape of Climate Leadership" during the 2025 New Zealand Climate Change and Business Conference in Auckland. Other panelists included Stuart Horne, Climate Change Ambassador, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Lawrence Meredith, EU Ambassador to New Zealand , and Therese Walsh, Independent Director. The event was attended by over 500 representatives from government, business, academia, and research sectors.
In his remarks, Ambassador Wang highlighted China’s achievements in addressing climate change and its contributions to global efforts. He emphasized that China’s commitment to climate action has been consistent and sustained, aligning not only with China’s own interests but also reflecting its role as a responsible major country in tackling global challenges and supporting multilateralism. He noted that the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement has not shaken China’s determination to advance the Agreement’s goals. China has made continuous progress in domestic emissions reduction and green transition and is fully confident in achieving its “dual carbon” goals: to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. on schedule. At the same time, China has actively provided affordable and accessible green solutions to the world, engaged in South-South climate cooperation, and contributed to addressing global climate challenges. Ambassador Wang pointed out that China, New Zealand, and the EU share common interests in tackling global climate issues and can work together to promote broader climate cooperation.
New Zealand’s Climate Change Ambassador Horne emphasized that multilateralism remains key to New Zealand’s participation in climate action, while the country is increasingly engaging in bilateral cooperation. He mentioned that New Zealand and China had just concluded the sixth China-New Zealand Climate Change Ministerial Dialogue. Both sides upgraded their climate cooperation arrangements during Prime Minister Luxon’s visit to China. EU Ambassador to New Zealand Meredith reiterated the EU’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and expressed the EU’s willingness to form a global alliance with China, New Zealand and others to work toward this goal. The panelists were deeply impressed by China’s significant progress in renewable energy.
The New Zealand Climate Change and Business Conference is co-hosted by the Environmental Defence Society (EDS), the Sustainable Business Council (SBC), and the Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC). It is New Zealand’s leading and longest-running conference on climate change. First held in 2004, this year marks its 17th session.