China’s role at COP30, held in Belém, was highlighted in a report by Folha de S.Paulo, which interviewed experts and negotiators about the Asian country’s actions in a scenario marked by the absence of the United States following the boycott promoted by Donald Trump’s administration. Plataforma CIPÓ was one of the sources consulted, with analysis provided by its executive director, Maiara Folly, which helped contextualize China’s strategy on the global climate stage.
According to the article, China adopted a cautious and conciliatory stance during the negotiations, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to multilateralism and avoiding direct confrontations on sensitive topics such as the phaseout of fossil fuels. In Folly’s assessment, this approach is aligned with the country’s diplomatic tradition and its economic interests.
“China has a diplomatic tradition in the climate regime that has been quite consistent over the decades, and it rarely shifts its position on issues driven by immediate circumstances. In recent years, one topic that has gained significant weight in Chinese diplomacy and at this COP is unilateral trade measures, and China has always opposed them,” Folly told the newspaper.
The report also highlights that Europe’s push for carbon border adjustment mechanisms has become a growing point of tension. According to Folly, China aims to bring these discussions into the sphere of the COPs to prevent such measures from remaining limited to bilateral agreements or regional blocs.
She also analyzed the impact of the U.S. absence from the negotiations, emphasizing that this alters the political balance and creates new challenges for global climate governance. “Today, China believes that if there is no consensus at COP30, it is a victory for those who want the climate regime to implode,” Folly said.
The role of the European Union in climate finance negotiations was also emphasized. Folly noted that, without the United States at the table, the European bloc has taken on a central role in blocking progress related to increasing international finance commitments. “Today, with the absence of the United States, the European bloc has been the main barrier from the standpoint of ambition for more ambitious commitments in the area of financing,” she assessed.
The article points out that although China is the world’s second-largest economy, it remains categorized by the UN as a developing country — a status that shapes its actions and interests in negotiations on climate finance, an area in which it has historically pressed wealthy countries for greater commitments.
