Nepal rules out compensation from China

Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said on Thursday that the country has no intention of seeking "climate justice compensation" from any specific country, including China, according to a news release issued by the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu.

Nepal will seek compensation from the international community within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement, Khanal said at a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming, the announcement said.

The two neighbors share the natural ecosystem of the Himalayas and are both affected by climate change, Khanal said.

Nepal agrees with China's view that addressing climate change is a shared responsibility of the international community, he added.

Khanal also expressed sincere gratitude to China for its generous assistance in times of difficulty, and extended condolences to the Chinese government and people after massive flash floods and mudslides struck the border region on Aug 26.

Also on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Nepal and the international community to jointly prevent and mitigate the negative impact of climate change.

Guo made the remarks while commenting on reports saying that some in Nepal are demanding climate compensation from the world's biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, namely the United States, India and China.

China has also been severely affected by the cross-border disaster, Guo said.

Climate change is a global challenge that requires the collective efforts of all parties, he said, adding that China is making active and sound efforts in peaking emissions and achieving neutrality.