"It is clear that China now has a central role to play and is willing to take bold and necessary actions. With focus on the positive opportunities while recognizing the need to reach the necessary reductions, China has a very good approach," Pamlin says. "How this will be followed up during the G20 presidency will be interesting to see."

Smith also says it is clear that without the fulfillment of commitments made by developed countries, including the financial commitments, trust between countries will not be built. Thus far, she says the $100 billion commitment has not been met, and without this happening it would be difficult for developing countries to believe that commitments in the new agreement for financing after 2020 will be met.

Smith also says that announcements on South-South cooperation by China are an important signal that developing countries with the capacity to do so will provide support to other developing countries to deal with climate change and the transition to a low-carbon sustainable future. This kind of solidarity and collective action is critical now.

"We believe that all high-level signals from leaders committing to address climate change are critical in this period of urgency," she says. "President Xi's statements of commitment to reaching an agreement in Paris are an important contribution to creating the political momentum and will, and should, help encourage other leaders to be ambitious and part of the collective efforts to deal with climate change."

Jon Gibbons, director of the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre, says China is well placed to take a leading role in global cooperation between developed and developing countries to fight climate change using carbon capture and storage, based on its impressive power plant construction industry.

"It is also clear that China is committed to playing its part in seeing that the world avoids dangerous climate change - this is essential to preserve the well-being of people in China just as much as in countries where development has occurred earlier," Gibbons says.

Jennifer Morgan, global director of the climate program at the World Resources Institute, says Xi showed his resolve to addressing climate change.

"His comments show that China is ready to step into a pivotal role in reaching common ground on key issues here in Paris," she says. "Xi embraced China's role as the largest emerging economy to help developing countries tackle climate change via South-South cooperation, providing financial, technological and capacity-building support."

Michael Schack, project leader of heating and cooling networks and cogeneration for French energy company Engie, says other global leaders should follow China's example to inject more concrete political will to achieve a Paris deal.

Jean-Pierre Lafon, French ambassador to China, says he has seen tremendous changes in China in improving environmental and climate awareness and technology breakthroughs. "China has taken firm action in tackling pollution and climate threat," he says.

Tom Jennings of the Carbon Trust says climate change is a global problem that needs global solutions and thinking only about national interests will not deliver the urgent progress that is required to limit warming to an average of no more than 2 C.

"Xi is right to highlight the importance of developed nations helping developing nations through providing finance to invest in addressing climate change," says Jennings. "China is already a world leader in a number of clean technologies, so it has an important part to play in bringing down the cost of clean energy."

Contact the writers through fujing@chinadaily.com.cn