Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

US special climate envoy John Kerry concluded his visit to China on Wednesday, during which he met with various Chinese officials. Kerry's visit came at a time when  many places across the globe are suffering from a brutal heat wave.

The intense and dangerous weather has caught the attention of the World Health Organization (WHO). Tedros Adnohom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, tweeted on Monday that "#ClimateCrisis is not a warning. It's happening. I urge world leaders to ACT now."

That call to action came while Kerry was in China. Kerry said in Beijing that China and the US could use climate cooperation to redefine their troubled relationship and lead the way in tackling global warming. However, he is also facing Republicans who are steadfast in seeing no cooperation happen between the two countries. It is also important to remember that the two countries were moving in a positive direction until former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made her reckless trip to Taiwan almost one year ago. One is left to wonder how much more progress could have been made over the last 12 months if Pelosi had stayed home.

The White House is trying to get the conversation moving again; Kerry's visit is a prime example of that. President Joe Biden has committed the US to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent of their 2005 levels by the end of this decade. As noble as any promise is, and let us presume for a moment that every effort Biden supports does gain momentum, certain Republicans in Congress and throughout the rather large federal government structure must put their blistering rhetoric about Beijing and their doubts about climate change aside so that the world's two global economic powerhouses can both lead by example and promote other nations to follow along in the fight against climate change.

Besides, the stance and actions of the US government regarding China's role in combating climate change can have a impact on how other countries perceive and respond to the issue. If the US does not view China as a legitimate partner in this effort, it may give other nations an excuse to not fulfill their own climate commitments. And when you remember how many politicians try to score domestic political points through China bashing, the potential for large and small countries to question China's veracity grows. And, yes, their concerns about the integrity of the US to be a co-leader in climate change efforts also will grow.

So, if you were told that China-bashing and climate change-doubting conservatives have made fools of themselves over the past week, would you be surprised? You shouldn't be.

Last week, Kerry was testifying before Congress about climate change and his trip to China. In a remarkable display of ignorance (which might be the nicest possible term to use), one Republican claimed global warming was a myth. This is how The New York Times reported what happened next:

"'Representative Scott Perry, Republican of Pennsylvania, showed charts he claimed proved the world is not warming. That prompted Mr. Kerry to call the lawmaker's views, which run counter to the conclusion of scientists around the globe, 'shocking.' Mr. Perry retorted, 'They're grifters, like you are, sir,' eliciting gasps from both sides of the aisle."

During that same hearing, the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, suggested China is not "an honest broker when it comes to addressing emissions." He did not mention, either because of his own ignorance or arrogance, that the country ought to be recognized for leading the world in constructing new solar and wind plants. Of course, praising China in Washington (or anywhere across the US for that matter) these days leaves public officials and private citizens open to a barrage of criticism.

Then on Wednesday of this week, Joni Ernst, a Republican senator from Iowa, made another bizarre statement. She told FOX News that "fossil fuels are not the enemy, China is."

So, if indeed everything happens for a reason, then Washington right now has a perfect opportunity to remind everyone that the heat wave affecting multiple continents is the tipping point, the moment when America and China are forging a path together on climate change. 

Unfortunately, too many Republicans refuse to accept reality. They will stonewall, hoping they will win the presidency in 2024 and then be able to put an end to any climate change cooperation with China.

That is not leadership. The world, as it sweats through the latest heat wave, is watching.

The author is an associate professor at the Department of Communication and Organizational Leadership at Pittsburgh-based Robert Morris University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn