The United States does not anticipate reaching a climate change agreement with China during President Barack Obama's upcoming visit to Beijing, according to the country's senior climate change envoy Todd Stern. Stern stated that the goal of the visit is to establish common ground with President Hu in order to facilitate an agreement in Copenhagen, where negotiators will meet in December to create a new accord for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Progress in the talks has been sluggish, with the US hesitant to commit to a deal that does not require developing countries like China to agree to mandatory CO2 reduction targets. Chinese negotiators have also suggested that the industrialized world should take on the majority of the responsibility for reducing carbon emissions. The meeting between Obama and President Hu Jintao, who lead the world's top two greenhouse gas emitters, is seen as crucial in building consensus for a new global climate agreement. Maria Cantwell, a Democratic Senator from Washington State, mentioned in Beijing that China and the United States may sign a bilateral agreement during Obama's visit. However, Stern clarified that Washington is not seeking a separate deal. The two countries are expected to discuss further cooperation on issues like carbon capture and storage next month, but analysts believe that their differences will make it challenging to reach a substantive agreement. Paul Harris, a professor of global and environmental studies at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the upcoming talks in Copenhagen, as many kind words and discussions may not lead to significant results. With the conference approaching, there is uncertainty about whether a successful outcome can be achieved, according to Stern. The Obama administration's efforts to pass a climate plan before the end of the year are seen as crucial, with the US Senate Environment Committee currently holding hearings on a new climate bill. The administration has been strongly encouraging Congress to make progress, and any additional postponements could harm the reputation of the United States at the Copenhagen talks.