A giant globe is illuminated by electricity generated by people riding bicycles in front of the city hall of Copenhagen, Denmark, December 7, 2009. Copenhagen is the host city for the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009, which lasts from December 7 until December 18 (XINHUA)

China submitted a letter on March 9 to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to confirm China's support for the Copenhagen Accord, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang, who announced the news at a recent regular press conference.

India also joined the list of countries that support the accord reached at the UN Climate Change Conference in December last year.

Currently, 110 countries representing more than 80 percent of global emissions have expressed support for the Copenhagen Accord, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a press conference on March 16.

The Copenhagen Accord is not a legally binding document. Su Wei, China's chief negotiator at the summit, wrote to UNFCCC to say that the UN "can proceed to include China in the list of parties" that support the accord. Su, who was deputy head of the Chinese delegation to the climate summit, is also Director General of the Department of Climate Change at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

In accordance with the agreement, a $100-billion-a-year fund will be set up by 2020 to support efforts by developing countries to reduce greenhouse emissions. The accord also calls on countries to keep the increase in global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius, although the agreement has no legal backing.

During last year's 10-day UN Climate Change Conference, the 192 nations gathered at the meeting did not adopt the accord, but rather only "took note" of it. Since then, individual countries have agreed to add their names to the list of supporting countries. A New York Times report said the inclusion of China and India on the list "will provide a boost for the agreement's credibility."

Todd Stern, head of the American delegation to the summit, said he was pleased to see China and India sign on. Stern views the accord as important progress. The United States hopes nations will reach a legal agreement at a UN-backed climate summit slated to be held in Cancun, Mexico in November.

At a press conference during the annual National People's Congress (NPC) session on March 7, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that the Copenhagen climate meeting achieved important and positive outcomes, but that at the same time, much work remains to be done.

"China will work actively with other countries and organizations to meet the climate challenge in accordance with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol, the Bali Roadmap and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities," he said.