A top Chinese weather scientist told the Xinhua news agency that climate change could be a serious threat. It was a rare admission for a Chinese official, while the government has acknowledged global warming, it does not usually elaborate on potential problems from climate change.

Temperature rises in China had already been higher than the global average for the past century and this exposed the country to a growing “risk of climate change and climate disasters” said Mr Zheng, who “warned of more droughts, rainstorms, and higher temperatures that would threaten river flows and harvests, as well as major infrastructure projects such as the Three Gorges Dam,” according to BBC News.

“To face the challenges from past and future climate change, we must respect nature and live in harmony with it. We must promote the idea of nature and emphasize climate security,” said Zheng Guogang, head of China’s meteorological administration, to the Xinhua news agency.