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US diplomat in China quits 'over Trump climate change policy' US diplomat in China quits 'over Trump climate change policy'
(about 4 hours later)
A top diplomat at the US embassy in Beijing has stepped down, apparently because he disagreed with President Donald Trump's climate change policy.A top diplomat at the US embassy in Beijing has stepped down, apparently because he disagreed with President Donald Trump's climate change policy.
The State Department said Deputy Chief of Mission David Rank had resigned. The state department said Deputy Chief of Mission David Rank had resigned.
US media outlets reported he stepped down over Mr Trump's controversial announcement last week that the US was withdrawing from the Paris agreement. US media outlets say he stepped down over Mr Trump's controversial announcement last week that the US was withdrawing from the Paris agreement.
The decision, which Mr Trump said would protect the US economy, was met with much rancour worldwide. The US embassy in Beijing told the BBC it was Mr Rank's personal decision and his years of service were appreciated.
Mr Rank reportedly told embassy staff at a meeting that he was directed to present a formal notification of the US decision to Chinese authorities, and that he could not defend that decision. Before becoming president, Mr Trump had said climate change was a hoax created by China to undermine US manufacturing.
He has said withdrawing the US from the 2015 Paris agreement - under which 188 countries committed to limiting rises in global temperatures - would protect the US economy.
But his decision to do so last week was met with much criticism worldwide.
The New York Times quoted unnamed friends of Mr Rank as saying he was deeply frustrated about the US policy toward China, particularly regarding climate change.The New York Times quoted unnamed friends of Mr Rank as saying he was deeply frustrated about the US policy toward China, particularly regarding climate change.
The State Department said in a statement that "Mr Rank made a personal decision. We appreciate his years of dedicated service." It added that the embassy's economics councillor Jonathan Fritz would now serve in his place. The embassy in Beijing did not comment on reports that he had told embassy staff he could not defend the decision and did not want to present formal notification to Chinese authorities.
Mr Rank, who was appointed in January 2016, was effectively the top US diplomat in China as he was also the acting ambassador. Terry Branstad, who was selected by Mr Trump for the post, fills that position later this month. Mr Rank joined the state department in 1990 and had previously served in Afghanistan, Taiwan, Greece and Mauritius, according to his profile page which was still on the Beijing embassy's website as of Tuesday.
Mr Rank joined the department in 1990 and had previously served in Afghanistan, Taiwan, Greece and Mauritius, according to his profile page which was still on the Beijing embassy's website as of Tuesday. Appointed in January 2016, he was effectively the top US diplomat in China as he was also the acting ambassador. Terry Branstad, who was selected by Mr Trump for the post, fills that position later this month.
Mr Trump provoked widespread condemnation when he announced the withdrawal from the Paris deal, where countries voluntarily agree to cut emissions and support poorer nations to adapt to climate change. The state department said the embassy's economics councillor Jonathan Fritz would be filling in behind Mr Rank immediately.
During his election campaign, he had claimed that climate change was a hoax.
The US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has since said that Mr Trump "believes in climate change" and that the US "has to be responsible for it".