Xi Jinping's special representative Han Zheng will attend COP31 in Antalya

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Vice President Han Zheng will travel to Türkiye from November 6 to 12 to attend the COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya and visit Georgia. Beijing will raise developed countries' obligations on emissions and climate finance at the conference.

China's Vice President Han Zheng will attend the Leaders' Summit of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), to be held in Antalya under Türkiye's hosting, as Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press conference on November 4 that Han would travel to Türkiye from November 6 to 12 at the invitation of the organizers and would also visit Georgia as part of the trip.

Mao said Han would provide the conference with "political direction" alongside the leaders of other countries. Recalling that the Paris Agreement entered its second decade this year, the spokesperson said the conference would address strengthening implementation, accelerating action and improving cooperation in the new period. Mao said China was ready to firmly uphold multilateralism and contribute to the success of the conference.

Antalya EXPO alanının girişindeki COP31 yazısı ve bayraklar

Beijing's agenda: emissions and finance

China's delegation will again be led this year by Li Gao, vice minister of ecology and environment. At a press conference in Beijing on October 21, Li said China supported making COP31 focused on "implementation." According to Li, the conference should address the "old problems" of developed countries' inadequate emissions reductions and financial support, as well as the "new challenges" posed by unilateralism and protectionism to joint climate efforts. Li also stressed that a road map should be discussed for the $300 billion climate finance target set for 2035 and the goal of tripling adaptation finance.

Who is Han Zheng?

Han, who has been China's vice president since March 2023, previously served as mayor and party secretary of Shanghai and was first vice premier from 2018 to 2023. He previously represented Xi at the coronation of King Charles III of the United Kingdom and at U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration in 2025. At last year's COP30 Leaders' Summit in Belem, China was represented by Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.

COP31 için Antalya EXPO alanında hazırlanan salonlardan biri

In June 2024, Han received Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Beijing, and in November 2024 he received Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek. During the May 2026 visit to Beijing by COP31 President and Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum, the two countries decided to establish a joint working group on climate issues that would also cover the COP31 process.

COP31 will be held at the Antalya EXPO site from November 9 to 20. At the conference, which Türkiye will preside over, Australia will chair the negotiations. The Leaders' Summit, attended by heads of state and government, will take place on November 11 and 12.

Cover photo: Ben Dance / FCDO (CC BY 4.0), Beijing, June 1, 2026. Other photos: Anadolu Agency

Xi Jinping's special representative Han Zheng will attend COP31 in Antalya