BEIJING, March 7 -- Developed countries should take the lead and offer more capital and technological assistance to developing countries amid the world's efforts to tackle climate change, a senior official said Saturday.

We hope that parties attending the Paris climate conference later this year would respect the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and follow the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities to reach an agreement as soon as possible, said Chen Jining, China's environmental protection minister, at a press conference.

Developed countries should honor their commitments and shoulder their responsibilities under the Convention to do more in support of developing countries in terms of finance, technology and capability building, he said.