Atlanta: As the fiery presidential debate began between US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump went on, India and China emerged as crucial points as the presumptive Republican nominee explained on his decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement 2015 on climate change. The duo clashed over their climate actions and foreign policies as Trump made bold remarks, while Biden defended his administration.
When asked about his actions on climate, Trump said, "I want absolutely immaculate clean water and I want absolute clean air and we had it. We had the best numbers ever and we were using all forms of energy. During my four years, I had the best environmental numbers ever." Biden countered by saying that he passed the most extensive climate change legislation in US history.
Trump mentions India, China
"He hasn't done a damn thing for the environment. He pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord, I immediately joined it because if we reach 1.5 degrees Celsius at any point there is no way back. The only existential threat to humanity is climate change and he did not do a damn thing about it. He wants to undo all that I have done," Biden said in his response.
Trump criticised the Paris Accord, saying that it would have cost a huge amount of money for the United States while countries like India and China would have to pay nothing. "The Paris Accord would have cost us a trillion dollars and China, nothing, and Russia nothing, and India nothing. It was a ripoff of the US and I ended it because I did not want to waste that money... Nobody else was paying into it and it was a disaster," he said.
In 2017, Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 Paris climate agreement, saying the international deal to keep global temperatures rising below 2 degrees Celsius was disadvantageous to US workers. As part of the Paris Agreement, in 2009, the US and other developed nations committed to collectively contribute $100 billion per year by 2020 to help poorer, developing countries.
Trump, a known climate change sceptic, has continuously argued that countries like China and India are benefiting the most from the Paris Agreement. China is the world's biggest carbon emitter followed by the US, India and the EU.
'Manchurian candidate': Insults dominate presidential debate
Trump also called Biden a 'Manchurian candidate' and accused him of taking money from China. "We have the largest deficit with China. He gets paid by China. He's a Manchurian candidate. He gets money from China," said the ex-President, warning the Democrat that China is going to 'own' US because of him. Trump also promised to raise tariffs by 10 per cent on all imports from China and 60 per cent on Chinese exports.
Trump also criticised Biden's military policies as "insane and stupid", saying that leaders like Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un do not fear him anymore, which will probably lead to World War III. On the other hand, Biden said that the US had its lowest trade deficit with China and blasted Trump for failing to make any progress with Beijing.
The two candidates also clashed over the economy, abortion, immigration and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza in a debate that included some deeply personal attacks. Trump unleashed numerous familiar false claims, including that the 2020 election was fraudulent, that Democrats support infanticide and that migrants have carried out a wave of violent crime. He also defended his supporters who stormed the US Capitol in 2021 and said he might prosecute Biden if he wins.
While Biden landed some blows during the debate, his wobbly and stumbling performance fuelled concerns over his age and calls for him to step aside. He called Trump a felon and noted that the majority of Trump's former cabinet have declined to endorse his campaign. Biden called Trump a "whiner" and a "child" who, he said, cheated on his wife with a porn star; Trump said Biden was a "disaster" and took potshots at his golfing abilities.
(with inputs from agencies)
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