LONDON, March 14, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Britain's energy and net zero secretary will head to China this weekend to drum up 
support for climate commitments, in the first Beijing visit by a UK energy minister since 2017.

Ed Miliband, who will be the third minister in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's cabinet to visit China, is set to take part in a 
weekend of meetings wrapping up on Monday.

The energy security minister will use the visit to "urge continued action from China... to tackle the climate emergency", 
Miliband wrote in The Guardian newspaper on Friday.

Miliband's push for both countries to "fulfil the aims of the Paris climate agreement" comes as US President Donald Trump 
pulled Washington out of the deal, which aims to keep global average temperatures below a critical threshold.

"I consider it to be negligence towards today's and future generations not to engage China on this topic," wrote Miliband, 
adding he would also raise concerns of rights abuses in Hong Kong and the treatment of the Uyghur minority.

Miliband said he would invite Chinese counterparts to London later this year to renew formal climate dialogue between the 
countries, as the UK looks to play a leading role in global cooperation on the climate.

"This is about protecting the British people now and for generations to come," he wrote.

Starmer has sought to boost engagement with China since coming to power in July, despite concerns over security and human 
rights crackdowns.

Although it is the largest emitter of the greenhouse gases that drive climate change, China, the world's second-largest 
economy, is also a renewable energy powerhouse and aims to reach net zero by 2060.

The UK has pledged to decarbonise completely by 2050 and has ramped up the transition to clean energy sources, which it 
claims will help boost its flagging economy.