Trump unwise to pull out of Paris climate accord

All of a sudden, the world's power balance is shifting, with China and to a lesser extent the European Union as the main beneficiaries. Most observers feel US President Donald Trump's rambling speech announcing the United States' withdrawal from the Paris climate change agreement marked a point at which he unwittingly yielded international influence to China, whose economy is steadily growing and is on track to become the largest in the world soon.

Newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron was quick to react after Trump's speech. Paying tribute to past ties between France and the US, he said he respected Trump's decision but at the same time assured US scientists working on climate change that they would receive a warm welcome in France. He urged the world "to make our planet great again".

And German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Europe would depend less on the US in the future, ahead of a meeting with Premier Li Keqiang in Berlin. "We are living in times of global uncertainty," she said, "and see our responsibility to expand our partnership ... and push for a world order based on law."