World upbeat about China's pledge at UNGA to stop building new coal plants overseas

BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent pledge delivered virtually at the United Nations (UN) promises a low-carbon future for China and contributes to better global environmental governance, experts, business insiders and media personnel have said.

"China will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low-carbon energy, and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad," Xi said ealier this week in his statement addressing the general debate of the ongoing 76th session of the UN General Assembly via video.

Shakeel Ramay, chief executive officer of Asian Institute of Eco-civilization Research and Development, commended Xi's announcement as a significant one, which demonstrates that "China once again has proved that it is serious about the issue of climate change. China doesn't only talk but deliver (its promise) as well."

Almas Chukin, managing partner of Visor Kazakhstan, said China's move shows its determination to actively promote global environmental protection.

Chukin, whose company Visor Kazakhstan is an investor of Central Asia's biggest wind power project Zhanatas, also said that the move blazes a new trial for global energy conservation and emission reduction.

Oleksiy Koval, a Ukrainian expert, said China actively supports developing countries in developing clean energy and shares its advanced technologies, experience and achievements with the world while improving its domestic environment.

Such a move by China is of great significance to reducing global carbon dioxide emissions, demonstrating China's commitment to improving global environmental governance, he added.

China's new promise to tackle climate change is a "historic turning point" away from fossil fuel, French newspaper "Les Echos" quoted Helen Mountford, vice president for Climate and Economics at the World Resources Institute, as saying.

China's move demonstrates its efforts to fulfill its commitment to jointly tackle global climate change with the international community, said an article published on the website of the Thailand-based Manager newspaper.

Accelerating the global phase out of coal is the single most important step to keep the goal of the Paris Agreement within reach, Singapore-based Lianhe Zaobao quoted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as saying in a statement.