"China-US climate change cooperation cannot be separated from the general environment of relations. The United States should meet China halfway and take positive actions to push relations back on track," said Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Mr Kerry urged China to do more to curb its carbon emissions since the nation is the world's biggest carbon emitter.

Tensions between the two nations have decreased since the Biden administration took over in January, with many Chinese diplomats still angry over the Trump administration.

The message of emission cuts comes after the world's top climate scientists warned the Earth would warm 1.5 degrees Celsius in the next two decades without drastic efforts to eliminate greenhouse gas pollution.