Bridging an energy gap

US Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke are beginning their China trip tomorrow to explore clean energy cooperation.

Environmental issues top the agenda of every US official visiting China, and the visit by two Chinese-Americans will be no exception.

China and the United States produce an estimated 40 percent of the greenhouse gases emitted worldwide. While the two countries have not always agreed on how to best tackle climate change, a renewed focus on environmental issues may provide the basis for cooperation in the spirit of reducing ecological damage.