Story highlights Trump accused China of creating global warming concept

China says Republicans supported first climate change talks

(CNN) Beijing has turned the tables on US President-elect Donald Trump over his accusation that climate change is a Chinese hoax, claiming that it was the Republican's own party that initiated global warming negotiations.

Trump in 2012 infamously claimed China had created the concept of climate change to make America's manufacturing sector less competitive, dubbing the global phenomenon "bulls**t" and "non-existent."

The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012

We can't destroy the competitiveness of our factories in order to prepare for nonexistent global warming. China is thrilled with us! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2012

During international climate change talks in Marrakech on Wednesday, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin reminded reporters that climate change negotiations began with the UN's International Panel for Climate Change in the 1980s, supported by the US Republican-led administrations under Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.

It was the EU and the US who brought full climate change awareness to China, he said, according to notes sent to CNN by a Chinese delegate traveling with him.

Liu reiterated that climate change was not a hoax and that it was possible for Republicans to continue to support the process of addressing it, the delegate said.

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