US applauds 'terrific' $3 billion contribution

The top climate-change negotiator from the United States applauded China on Tuesday for its $3 billion contribution to help developing countries respond to climate change.

China announced the contribution in September during President Xi Jinping's state visit to the US. It was a big increase over previous commitments and one that could potentially surpass the US contribution to the United Nations' Green Climate Fund.

"That's terrific. So, in a system going forward, as more and more countries grow, develop and gain the capacity to become contributors - not just recipients - we think that that's a development that should be encouraged," said Todd Stern, US President Barack Obama's special envoy for climate change, in a conference call from Washington with media about the Paris climate change conference.